The engine is starting up...

We have been sitting on idle all summer and the engine just turned over. The machine called the school year has begun its preparations and you can feel the rumble in the hallways. No matter how many days I came in this summer to help me prepare, I am still rattled a bit by the loudness of the sound.
 Looking ahead, this year will be much less stressful then last year. I am down about 10 students and I am not teaching 2 classes. At the peak of my busy I was so overwhelmed with what I had, that I insisted on help. Now that I have it...I am not so inundated. I am grateful for the better pace of it all and will be able to implement what I have not had the time to do in the past.
The engine that sweeps us along is pretty huge and all encompassing. This is also the last year I have with one of ours in High school. After this year...OK...the engine will idle soon enough, and it will be sad and we will wonder how fast it went and I will be amazed that our son has graduated.
So bitter sweet this rumble in the hallway.
Sigh