I'm baaack!

It was a great trip to Hawaii. Amazing. Just what I needed. We did a ton of great things, which I am debating posting all about, but I did get a ton of great pictures. Maybe next week for show and tell. This was truly a vacation-- I really was distracted from my problems. It was amazing. I even thought of that at one point. I hadn't really cried since we got there (a little teary-eyed once or twice) and it was a few days in. That is the longest I had gone in over 4 months. I was visiting places I had only been with my family, as a child, and recounting memories of swimming in that waterfall with my parents and brother. And going to this store, and other adventures with my brother the last time I really spend time on Maui. I think the fondness and tenderness of my memories, and their ability to come flooding back, made me feel glad. I have a lot of memories tied to that island. I visited there twice with my mom, dad, and brother when I was in the 9-11 year old range. I don't remember exactly how old I was. I was supposed to go to Maui with my dad and brother when I was 14, but my dad died a few weeks before we were set to leave. My mom decided to take us anyway, and we managed to have some fun.

Since I've gotten home (about 18 hours ago), I've cried three times. Back to reality really is back to reality. The vacation was nice. I knew it couldn't last forever, even if I stayed forever. I still have about 3 weeks left before real reality hits me and the school year starts. Right now, I am slated to be teaching 1st grade, which I am not happy about, but I think it might change. I don't know why I think, that perhaps wishful thinking. For the record, last summer at this time, I was going to be teaching 1st grade. Then as it got close enodugh to start setting up, it was 2nd grade (yay!) and I moved in to that school (I transferred schools last year due to declining enrollment). Then, it became 3rd grade, which I was not happy about, but it ended up being the best thing for me. The other teachers became such great friends of mine. In fact, I had dinner with them tonight! They were the best support I could have asked for durring my crappy, crappy year. (One of them is pregnant with #2 from a FET!) I hope I end up back with them in 3rd grade. I need them.