What a Difference Four Years Makes

Four years.  1461 days.  Some things haven’t changed a bit.  Drew Brees is still the Saints quarterback.  Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte are still swimming in the Olympics for the United States.  New Orleans summers are still hot.  But while some things remain the same, other things change a lot.  It was while watching the Olympics that I began to reflect on some of these changes.

Probably the biggest change for me in the last four years is where I’m currently teaching.  Four years ago I was part of a brand new school.  Our faculty excitedly moved things into a building that still didn’t have toilet seats.  I was now the veteran in a sea of fresh faces.  We came together to give kids the best education possible.  Unfortunately, things didn’t work out there for me.  I have no hard feelings or ill will towards anyone.  It just wasn’t meant to be.  Thankfully I had the courage to realize this and make a move.  I went to work at another brand new school.  At least this one had toilet seats.  It hasn’t always been easy, but my experiences at this school and my last one have made me stronger and a better person.  In two weeks I will begin my 15^th year of teaching, my third at my current school.  I’m not really excited about it yet because I want my summer vacation to last a little longer, but I know I’ll be ready once I see those kids enter my classroom.  They make me want to be a better person and a better teacher.

The summer of 2008 was important in another way.  It was through a message board and a love of all things Twilight that I met some of my dearest friends.  We came from different backgrounds but shared a mutual love.  I spent many late nights on my computer during that summer, chatting and laughing with these amazing ladies.  Some friends have come and gone, but I have remained close to several of them.  It’s because of these ladies that I’ve visited Times Square in New York, auditioned for Wheel of Fortune, worn a tiara while grocery shopping, and posed in a bomb shelter in front of the World War II museum.  I can’t imagine my life without these friends.

Something else amazing that’s happened within the last four years?  The Saints won a Super Bowl.  Yep.  I never thought I’d live long enough to see that.  It was one of the greatest nights of my life.  Seriously. 

A lot has happened over the last four years, some good and some bad, but all of these things have helped me become the person I am today.  In 2016 we will have yet another leap year, another presidential election, and another summer Olympics.  I can’t wait to see what the world has in store for me between now and then.