One More Day

One more day.  That's it.  Only one day left in the school year.  The kids are finished.  My class is packed up and all my materials and resources are jammed into the cabinet at the back of my classroom.

One more day.  And I get to spend the next two months with my darling little Miss B.  We get to go swimming every day.  We get to snuggle up in our jammies on the couch.  We get to eat our breakfast slowly and take our time.

This year, there were moments when I thought I wouldn't make it. There were moments when I found being a working parent extremely difficult.  For instance, when Miss B would wake up crying at 5:30 am just as I was getting out of the shower and I didn't know what was harder to tolerate: hearing her cry on the monitor or try to get ready while a toddler was in the bathroom.

Or when she was sick and I would go to work on 3, maybe 4 hours of sleep.

Or when I developed a coffee addiction and was as fierce as a hungry lion if I didn't have a second or a third cup.  I even had students trained to beg a colleague down the hall to brew a pot just for me so I (they) could get through the period. (Puhleese... she's desperate... Help us!! )

Or when I'd drop Miss B off at daycare and cry all the way to school without really knowing why.

But, there are a couple of things I'm quite proud of.

• I chose an amazing caregiver to love, respect and cherish my child while I'm at work.  She absolutely adores Miss B. When we leave for the day, she cuddles Miss B up, smooches her face and hugs her with so much affection I wish it were me.  Miss B is laughing the whole time.
• I managed to get to school on time every single day.  I wasn't even late on a snow day.  That in itself is an amazing obstacle to overcome.  Even before Miss B was born, I couldn't manage that!  Thank goodness for children's programming on television to keep me on track of time.  "Bo on The Go is over Miss B!!  Time to get ready..."
• I didn't do the best job teaching French this year but I did a good one.  I don't think my students will become proficient writers or fluent in the language but I'd like to think I gave them a few skills that will carry them far in their studies.
• I never took out my work frustrations on Miss B.  She never had any indication that I was stressed, bothered, upset or struggling.  When I am with her, I may be thinking of work stuff far in the back of my mind  but she is always in the forefront.

The new year promises to be an exciting one.  I've got a new assignment and a new program to learn.  I've also accepted a new responsibility that hopefully won't keep me away from Miss B too much.  And, finally, I am only working four days a week next year.  I have much to be hopeful for.

But for now, I just want to get past that one day so I can have 60 of them with Miss B.