Pig Poweeeerrrr!

So,'tis the season of:
--woodsy smell of freshly sharpened pencils
--non-graffitified supply boxes
--pointy complete boxes of crayons
--glue bottles with no crusty dried blurpage

...the school year has begun
the thrill, excitement and nervousness of newness

I remember as a teacher, there is nothing like the status of the classroom 5 min before the students entered in the first time..The silence was thick and the desks were shiny..everything was just as I had strategically planned...only to realize the desks would be changed a number of times to situate chatties with solitude seekers, eye-rollers with responsible learners, and independent workers with ---just about anyone.

Though not formally teaching in the classroom anymore, I do remember the anxiousness of --all things new-- and am a great admirer of all teachers who are choosing to make a difference in the lives of our walking future.

I reminisced back to my way too distant past of elementary school and remembered one of my favorite things about starting a new school year was getting a new lunchbox. The goodies of home packed away in my fancy handled box. A touch of mom in the middle of the day always brought me a smile.

I remember one of my favorite phases was when the "Muppet Show" (i just dated myself) was a big deal and for some crazy reason I was enamored with, yes, Miss Piggy! why-why-why---I do not know, but I always thought she showed such strength and never let being a pig get in her fashionable kankle way.

So, while in my piggy phase I had all things sparkly and purple..a mug, a puppet, a nightgown, a sleeping bag, a poster on my door of her in a karate outfit--that my brother and sis still make fun of me standing in front of it in a karate pose saying "Pig Power"...never'll live that one down...

BUT, my most favorite of all was my lunchbox..
My piggy pal went to school with me, hung out in the cubbie until lunch and vroom-vroom we would be off to snacky-lunch bliss...

Such simple times I am filled with leaping giddyness as I remember..
So in honor of all the teachers back into feathering their classroom nests and all the children entering into their 4-walled world of discovery for the next 10months..joy to you all and when the going gets tough, strike a karate pose and shout from your deepest parts --PIG POWER!!-- and you are sure to move onward.