The Fat Lady Warms Up

No, at this moment I am not describing myself, although a weekend of camping and blissful indulgence didn't help my pudgy waist. I am talking about the last week as a teacher. It really is over, it is just now an exercise in bureaucracy to give the right paper to the right person at the right time. I never liked the end of year checklist. It is your invitation to fail. Be at the head of the line and have forgotten something. Or to be chastised because you have misplaced some meaningless special education help book (See me, Thursday). The kids are really gone. I will have no semblance of classes, only a few taking finals because of poor attendance or suspension or failure. Friday was the last day for seeing those groups who had become second nature. You learn the quirks and inside jokes and relationships and triumphs. I will miss that. But, dear God, not the rest. Take the paperwork, the "other duties as assigned by the principal", grading papers, cheaters, stupid comments, safety hazards, special education ARDs and all the other educational crap that burns the life out of people who genuinely want to teach, and place it somewhere the sun does not reach.

But, I did receive the most wonderful notes and cards from the special few. I am always surprised at the student that I affected and had NO idea that I had done so much for them. It is always a pleasure to get it in writing, though. Not enough students take the time. My favorite of all time happened this year. A simple note of thanks, expressing the desire to continue with the study of chemistry and attached was a Fisher-Price Doctor Kit. He had left it on my desk before school. It was a good thing, because I certainly teared up. The quintessential moments of teaching distilled into one note and one gift. It is one that I will treasure.

I am also going to pass on my MCAT books to a student who is interested in medicine. Never to soon to become OCD over preparations for that test. I will be cleaning house, playing with the kids and looking forward to a new chapter in life. Ain't it grand?

I also got my stethoscope. A lot heavier than any I have ever handled. There was my name engraved in the bell. Maroon tubing and all. I can't wait to learn how to use it!

100 Days of Knowing

I have known that I will be attending UT-Houston for 100 days now. It is still surreal and blissful. I have enjoyed my friends and family more than ever over the last couple of months. It is still just neat to see people's reactions when you tell them that you are going to medical school. The age bias is the thing that makes me chuckle. When I say "I am going to medical school next year." I assume that everyone understands that medical school equals becoming a doctor. It is amazing how many people say "Oh, you are going to be a nurse?"

Steven has ordered my stethoscope for me. I can't wait for it to arrive. I picked a plum color of tubing and got my name engraved on it. That has a kind of "You have got to do it now!" sense to it! He is tracking its progress online and hopefully it will be here soon.

We also completed the playhouse/swing set combination that reaffirms that I have no interest in orthopedics. So many screws, nuts, bolts and various pieces of cheap and warped wood, but we ended up with a solid structure that will last at least a little while! The worst mistake I made was splitting the wood on the chimney. I just told the kids that since it is so warm in Houston, we don't need a chimney. Chimney pieces into trash, problem solved.

I also received notice from the financial aid department that I am eligible for $43,000 in financial assistance. About $37,000 will be loans. That is a chunk of change. I am still trying to wrap my mind around those numbers and try to decide if we actually want to take all of that or a portion or what we want to do. I just don't think that I want to have and additional house payment in 4 years that I will begin to pay down with less money than we are making now. I never thought that I would believe it, but a new doctor in internship and residency actually makes less than a first year teacher in the school districts around Houston. That just doesn't seem right. I know that the salary will jump after that, unlike a teacher, but still, the hours and hours of basically unpaid work. Very daunting, indeed!

I will have to start "putting my house in order" so to speak. I have a list of things that I want to get done before I start so that I don't have to worry about as much right at the beginning of school. But, I am really out of my element, with the great unknown, which is also going to start in about 100 days.