I haven't posted in a while, and wasn't planning to start again until the New Year.
But plans change when there's a very good reason!
2017 has been a year of change for my daughter, Annie. College graduation in May, job interviews, accepting a job offer in July, move to a new apartment in August, adopting 2 kittens, and beginning her first teaching position in mid-August...all happening in four months.
Annie found a large, beautiful, bright, cheery apartment in a small town in Massachusettes only 40 minutes from home and 15 minutes from her new job!
It is the 3rd floor of an old house which was just totally renovated.
It has 2 bedrooms, one bathroom, a spacious kitchen, dining room, and living room.
The kittens, Wells Fargo and Charles Schwab came home a few weeks later.
Then she entered the "working world".
Since September, there have been ups and downs as Annie has been finding her way through the struggles of first-year teaching. Over time, we've noticed less focus on her difficulties and more talk about "her kids" and the funny things they say, notes they've written to her, and appreciative emails from parents.
Annie's time is split between the elementary school and the middle school.
She teaches general music to 3rd and 4th graders,
and
is the band instructor to 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.
Last week she put on a wonderful holiday concert with her elementary students.
She was extremely nervous beforehand, but you'd never know it once the show began.
Watching her interact with the kids, we couldn't help but wonder where
the years have gone. Wasn't it just yesterday that she was one of the
little ones on the stage?
As a parent, it was wonderful to watch the kids looking up to Annie
and to see her face light up in response.
Not very many years ago, Annie would scramble up to her music teacher, Mrs. Bigge,
after every concert so I could take their picture together.
Now she is the "Mrs. Bigge" for these kids.
Last night, we were honored to attend Annie's first Middle School Band Concert.
Here, she directed the very cool Jazz Band.
Then the full band did extremely well too!
It was nice for us to be able to meet the school principal and a few of
Annie's colleagues that we hear so much about.
We were very proud of Annie.
She looked confident and professional,
but the best part was, again, seeing how she
was connected to the kids and how they responded to her.
We would have traveled far to attend these concerts,
but we feel fortunate to be less than an hour away!
Congratulations, Annie!
