The 1000th Peek into my Teacher's Diary

I started my blog on August 20th, 2008. Here is what I wrote on my very first post:

The start of something new...

Inspired by my good friend Phil, I decided that kids are too funny to let their stories go untold. The life of teaching is too dynamic to act like every day is normal.  So, I'm starting a blog to share with my friends and family the truth about middle school kids: they are hilarious.  Sometimes they make me want to jump right out of my skin because I'm afraid I might run out of the room and quit teaching forever! But those moments are few and far between and the truth of the matter is, I'm doing what I've always wanted to do.  I'm just getting broken in :-).  So, hold on to your hats and join me on my ride through middle school...let's see where it takes us, shall we? 

 At the time, I was almost 25 years old and fresh out of BYU. I was recovering from one of the most difficult experiences of my life.  I was beginning again.

Today, April 29th, 2015, 4 months shy of seven years later, I am writing my 1000th post. Time goes by so quickly. 

 I shared this picture on August 27, 2008, a week after starting my first professional job at Dixon Middle School.  I was teaching 7th grade chorus classes, 8th grade Ladies Ensemble, and 8th grade Concert Choir.  This job brought me an abundance of laughter, lots of tears, great friendships with dear co-workers and students, and precious stories I cherish.

Within these four walls, I experienced many growing pains.  But I wouldn't trade a day of it.

So much is different; yet, many things have stayed the same.  The four walls in which I experience constant growing, learning, and changing still exist. They just look a little different.  For one thing, they have windows.  And the chairs are pink.

Teenagers are still hilarious.  Sometimes, my students still make me want to jump out of my skin and run away, never to return to teaching. But, at the end of the day, I'm still doing exactly what I always dreamed of doing.  And it's still a crazy ride.

I'm pretty lucky.

Through the past 7 years of record keeping, I've developed a great love for writing.  This was quite an unexpected by-product of blogging for me.  I've always loved language arts, but I now have a passion for story telling through written word.  Having people to "listen" to- an audience to address- has made all the difference.  It has given meaning to precious experiences that may have otherwise gone forgotten in my mind.  It has pushed me to express myself in ways that others might appreciate.  So thank you, to my dear friends and family, for reading my blog. Thanks for giving purpose to my words and inspiring me to share.

If I were to sum up the greatest lesson I've learned since I graduated college and started my blog, it would be the following scripture:

 Philippians 4: 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

My faith has certainly been put to the test, but He never fails me.  Even the most insurmountable obstacles he helps me overcome,  though sometimes I take baby steps the whole way. 

When I wrote my first blog post on August 20th, 2008, I entitled it, "The Start of Something New."  This was appropriate, as I was beginning a new record of my life, a new job, and starting down a different path than the one I planned.  Now, I realize that every day is the start of something new.  I am always beginning again.  There is a new "me" around every corner as I build upon my experiences and become more aware of who I am and the person I want to become.

So here's to the 1000th start of something new.