Happy New Year!

When the kidlet and I toured around his new school yesterday, it was so peaceful. Schools before classes begin always remind me of Christmas Eve; everything is in its place, quiet preparations are underway, everything waiting for the real fun to begin. As we were wandering the deserted halls with the lights turned off, a teacher burst through the doors singing "Happy New Year." While it wasn't quite the same as my all time favourite commercial for Staples with the father "skating" through the aisles with the shopping cart to the tune of the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, it made me smile.

The start of the school year is our new year, new beginning... as I imagine it is for many households. January 1 is just an extension of the Christmas season in our house. This is our time of change. As a teacher, each new school year is like starting a new job with a whole new batch of co workers; I bring my knowledge and skills from my previous job and blend it with all that is new. Just like starting a new job, there is always the excited nervous anticipation. And, of course, the constant changing of classrooms and course loads also helps in making it feel like a new job every year. After what was a tumultuous year in public education in BC, I look forward to a fresh start as we wait out the demise of our current government and a less oppressive future. For the kidlet, new grade, new teacher, new classmates - it is sort of the same. But for both of us, back to a regular schedule after two months of little routine and, frankly, where we lose track of the day of the week and forego pretty much all the household rules.

I'm sure I have said this before but I love change; think about how bored we would be without it. It is probably what I love most about teaching; every year is different. In the past, change in our personal lives usually went hand and hand with drama, craziness and chaos; to experience change as part of the natural evolution of life has been such a blessing. This past year our household has seen many changes some of which have been challenging, some a little bit sad but with a whole lot of wonderful.

As I visited today with a truly incredible lady who I have not seen in 11 months, we shared the many changes in our lives over the past year. As she recently celebrated fourteen years of marriage, she remarked that it is so wonderful and such a special gift to find a life partner. And how much more fun the changes in our lives are when we have someone to share them with! I could not agree more; I give thanks for this each and every day. In a lot of ways it is a strange feeling knowing that you will never have to experience anything alone ever again; strange in a "pinch me", "is this a dream?" sort of way. It is like winning the lottery of life! It makes the rough stuff challenging rather than devestating and the good stuff more spectacular.

With many changes behind us and many more to come, I am excited for our new year and how we will evolve as a couple and a family. I look forward to watching the paramedic take over the household on his weekdays off, to sharing our home with a teenage hockey player, to watching the kidlet develop neighbourhood friendships and to finally accomplish his goal of being taller than me. How different all of our resolutions will look this year!

Happy New Year everyone!