NEW POST!!!!!

I have heard the cries of the natives and I am now responding.

School has started back and I am officially in my first full week back. I have to admit to all of you that I don't hate it (yet!). I returned to Franklin County Middle School and it has been a little wierd returning to the same place I left 2 months ago. Two years ago, I had my stuff packed and ready to leave that school by the end of April never to look back at the education profession and now I am returning for my 3rd year teaching. I don't know how to process this, much like I still am having a hard time processing Africa. It involves too many emotions to try and put it into words. Teaching for me was the last choice in life decisions. Let me point this out again... LAST CHOICE!!!! Teaching followed things like, grad school, minister of music, opening a private vocal studio, moving to New York (or back home), being a full time missionary, etc., etc., etc. I never, in a million years would have seen myself teaching. I always said that teachers were those people that couldn't do what they wanted to do so they taught. There are those people here at this school, and every school, and most days I include myself in this category as well. I have had to undergo reconstructive surgery on my ego. I seriously felt that I was giving up on my dream when I succumbed to becoming a teacher. Now I haven't finished this surgical procedure yet, however, I will say that I didn't give teachers enough credit. I work with some incredible teachers who have spent their lives furthering their education to become the best teachers they can be so that they can continue to enrich the lives of young people. Now that is an exceptionally noble deed in my book. Now does this make me want to teach Middle School Chorus for 30 years? No, but it does make me see the value in what I am doing for this particular season in my life (which I hope is very, very short lived). There are days even now that I question, "What am I doing here?" but I can rest in the fact that I am holding fast to the dreams of my heart and at some point I will be able to pursue those dreams whole heartedly. I can also know that I will truly appreciate the fulfillment of those dreams more than I ever would have had I not had to do something for a career that I didn't like very much. So there it is...