I better be perfectly honest. The students are not yet back at school. The administrators have been on campus for one week, the new teachers for one day short of one week, and the returning teachers for one day. The students arrive on Monday……. the school is almost set up – ALMOST – and there is a host of paperwork that must be completed and sent out sometime in the next three days. The school year is about to begin.
Don’t get me wrong – I love the beginning of the year. I love the excitement of seeing the students come back from summer break. I love hearing about all of their adventures, often from places around the globe. I love the little arms of our preschoolers around my knees as they hug me and tell me they miss me. I love speaking with the parents – and that distinct look of relief and gratitude they have on their faces…. that look that says, “Thank heavens my summer is over and you now get to educate my child during the day!!!” I love all these things – and more. Working with children is a privilege and it comes with MANY perks. I often tell my friends that you cannot have low self-esteem and work with younger children – they are always so happy to see you, so positive and full of affection. When I am having a bad day, the best place to cheer up is in our preschool – the children are wonderful.
Yet, in spite of my intense love of my job, the students and all that I get to do – what am I thinking of??? Yes, it is sadly true, I am thinking of snow days. In my three years at this school site we have had one snow day – last year. I am wondering if we will be blessed to have a snow day two years in a row… I think part of the fun of a snow day is the anticipation leading up to the snow day – wondering if we will be lucky enough to get that gift. I also think part of the excitement is that last-minute notification. You plan to go to work and wake up in the morning to the ground covered in white and a gift of a day when you can build snowmen or read a book and drink hot chocolate while watching the snow fall.
I think this is why I am dreaming of snow days – I have been working non-stop and often 12- 14 hour days. This is completely normal for this time of year, but can be very draining. I am dreaming of snow days because they are those special moments when nature gifts us a gift of allowing us to pause and only live life in the moment, freed from the frenetic realities of deadlines and exterior demands.
Today, 197 days ’til 40, I love my job, but am longing for a snow day….. what do you wish for when you are working hard?
~400daystil40
Fortuitous Forty!!! 
jensine
August 8, 2012 at 00:28
a hot cup of tea, a good film and just opt out of the world for a day
400daystil40
August 8, 2012 at 22:43
ooh – I LOVE that! 🙂
jensine
August 9, 2012 at 02:03
🙂
bellissimom
August 8, 2012 at 00:40
I always long for creativity breaks when I am working hard. I find myself day dreaming about sewing, baking or soap making.
400daystil40
August 8, 2012 at 22:43
I love dreaming about baking and sewing (and knitting!)
buckwheatsrisk
August 8, 2012 at 00:58
just for a peaceful hike in the mountains. 🙂
400daystil40
August 8, 2012 at 22:42
Bring me, bring me!!! 🙂
buckwheatsrisk
August 8, 2012 at 22:45
i would be happy too!! 😀
walkwiththerabbi
August 8, 2012 at 04:37
I wish you “enough” my friend:
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
Blessings to you and yours.
400daystil40
August 8, 2012 at 22:42
Thank you so much, what a pleasure to read your comment – it made me smile! Is this going on your blog or in your book? It should!!! 🙂
walkwiththerabbi
August 9, 2012 at 00:26
Thank you so very much. I’ll make sure it merits a higher profile going forward. By the way, are you and your partner ever in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area? If you ever are, I’d love to host you at a One Community First Monday event (www.onecommunity.co). Make it an “Ollin” day mon ami..
400daystil40
August 9, 2012 at 20:12
Thank you so much for thinking of me! If I am every in your neck of the woods it would be an honor to come! 🙂
Spider42
August 8, 2012 at 12:23
It never snows here… 😦
Maybe someday though! Global warming, pollution, nuclear war, nuclear winter – then I’ll have snow here! 🙂 I love being optimistic!
400daystil40
August 8, 2012 at 22:41
hehehe – THANK YOU for the laugh today! I needed it with all the stress we are under this week!
mskatykins
August 8, 2012 at 13:21
He he, so funny! We head back to school on Monday as well – the time has just flown by! Eek!
Where I work now I have had two school days off, in two years. There were actually three days but I was at a Conference on the mainland. One was a snow day (yay!) and the second (and third that I missed) were wind days. We get really high winds quite often, well, we live on a small, pretty unsheltered, island.
Fingers crossed you get a nice day off soon – lol! 😉 Good luck with the start of term. Enjoy! 🙂
400daystil40
August 8, 2012 at 22:41
Yes, it went way too quickly! I hope we both get snow days this year! I have had one in three years!
The Quiet Borderline (back in hospital)
August 8, 2012 at 15:23
Snow day too!! Hehe.
400daystil40
August 8, 2012 at 21:53
🙂
viveka
August 8, 2012 at 18:14
I love snow day too …. because it makes my world so soft … and it make children play, laughter and build snow men – snow stand also for innocence for me. It makes everything beautiful that it covers. Yes, I would agree .. the first snow is happiness.
400daystil40
August 8, 2012 at 22:40
Yes, I feel the same way about snow days!!!!
saymber
August 8, 2012 at 19:23
I can’t relate to your plight as an educator although my husband and I joke about the school holidays and large segments of “breaks” as time for the monkeys to get out of their cages lol. I would just like to see snow period.
400daystil40
August 8, 2012 at 22:40
Hehehe!
Another Thousand Words
August 8, 2012 at 21:09
Perhaps you’re dreaming of snow days because you didn’t have a proper vacation, with that nasty virus you contracted? As for me, just dreaming of Autumn–less than 6 weeks away–and being rid of this horribly hot Summer!
400daystil40
August 8, 2012 at 22:40
You are so right!!!! 🙂
mymagicalescape
August 9, 2012 at 15:11
I nominated you for the Reader Appreciation Award. If you choose to accept, please visit my blog for details. Keep up the good work!
400daystil40
August 9, 2012 at 20:15
Wow, thank you so much for the compliment! It made my day! 🙂
The Presents of Presence
August 10, 2012 at 05:20
Even though I’m not teaching anymore, I love snowdays still…and I still feel that excitement in anticipation of waking up to a winter wonderland of enough snow to stay home! Keep dreaming ~ hope you get your wish this year!
400daystil40
August 11, 2012 at 23:16
Thank you! Me too!!!
Brianna
August 14, 2012 at 00:55
“You plan to go to work and wake up in the morning to the ground covered in white and a gift of a day when you can build snowmen or read a book and drink hot chocolate while watching the snow fall.” — That sounds so nice! I, too, have been looking forward to cooler weather. When its finally cold enough to snuggle up with a blanket!
400daystil40
August 14, 2012 at 23:23
Yes, it is one of the best gifts ever!