Thanksgiving Break (as a Texas middle school band director)

Okay...first off, I am writing this blog from my own personal point of view - not EVERY Texas middle school band director. However, many may be right there with me. 

Many schools in Texas have the entire week off for Thanksgiving - a much needed break as the first semester is beginning to wind down. The days leading up to Thanksgiving break can be SO hard. The kids know the break is coming; you know the break is coming... It is hard to muster up that extra bit of needed energy to make it to that blessed time off (note..."blessed" is pronounced with TWO syllables - BLES-SED). However, we've all made it - Thanksgiving Break!! 

For me (and possibly others), this week means it's time to get caught up on stuff neglected while busy teaching middle school band every day - 8 classes plus sectionals and tutorials before and after school every day. This is the time to get your hair cut, get to the dentist and optometrist (or make appointments), get your physical and/or flu shot (or make appointments), clean house (Spring clean...in the Fall), do those school projects that you NEED to get done but can't seem to get done during the normal school day and PRACTICE (you preach it to your students, but find it difficult to do yourself). I mean, there IS a FULL WEEK OFF! You WANT to sleep in, but your body gets you up at the crack of dawn and you feel you should be doing something. If you do become a couch potato and binge watch all your shows on Netflix, then there is the dreaded guilt. And when are you going to be able to get everything done that you need to get done? Christmas break? Nope, with Midwest and visiting family, there won't be much time. Plus, Christmas break is when you gear up for the Spring semester and U...I...L. At any rate, when you get all this stuff done in the first two days of break, you can veg out the rest of the week. 

So here I am on at 9:25 AM on Tuesday of Thanksgiving break with a clean house, a hair appointment in a couple hours, laundry in the washing machine, Christmas AND Thanksgiving decorations up, TV off, windows open, candles lit, curled up on the leather sofa with a blanket and laptop writing this blog. Chris and Bella are asleep...Chris in our bed & Bella on the ottoman. There is a soft cool breeze through the open windows, a grey hazy sky, the sound of leaves rustling as they gently fall to the ground and the smell of fresh baked goodness (from the candles). It is so peaceful. I will do my best to soak in this moment and appreciate the many blessings. 

Tomorrow, we will drop Bella off at the kennel and make our way down to San Antonio to spend time with the family with freshly cut hair and the sense of peace that I was able to get so much accomplished in a few short days. Monday will be back to crazy town with visits to elementary schools, holiday concerts, chair tests, passing out shirts, deposits, submitting grades... It will be a strong push to end out the semester well. But, I will worry about that on Monday. 

So with that, I sign off. Time to make myself a large mug of flavored coffee and just sit and be in the moment.