Endings and Beginnings . . .

Good Afternoon!  It is mid-June, there is a storm brewing in the gulf, and my area of South Texas is predicted to receive a good dose of rain over the next 24-48 hours.  When in a position where things need to be taken care of "just in case," I feel the need to wrap up a lot of loose ends--not just prepare for power outages and running out of milk!  That nesting thing starts happening.

Here's to endings . . .and new beginnings :)

The end of the school year was bitter-sweet for me.  My long time teaching buddy of 18 years retired. I am super excited  for her, but am really sad that our time teaching together has come to an end. Another school change came for me the last two weeks of school.  I was offered a chance to change teaching positions.  I though it over, talked it over with my husband, my kids, my teaching buddy, and I came to the conclusion that I would go for it.  After 18 years of teaching secondary English and speech classes, I have a new teaching path ahead of me:  Art, a multi-media class, and I'm taking over the publication of the yearbook.  For the past two weeks, I've been studying these:

I've covered the section on watercolor, and art through the Greek period.  I'm going to study Roman influences tonight.  It's new to me to have to study, but I'm finding it is coming pretty easy.  I'm looking forward to the change and spending my last teaching years doing something that's fun, always changing, and (I'm hoping) not as stressful.  Not that there won't be stress, but no state testing to worry about, no more LPAC meetings, not more grading essays/research papers, etc.  It was sad to leave the classroom I've been teaching in all these years; I think 15 years I've been in that room.  I remember days when my girls, the youngest especially, would nap under my desk on workdays, finish up homework after school, spend endless time writing on the white board and playing with the Elmo "teaching" those imaginary kids.  When I packed up my room and left for the last time, I cried . . .
BUT, this is about new beginnings too!!  I will have TWO classrooms, one of which is huge and has an actual office! My other classroom is next door to a kitchen, so I can brew a pot of coffee, throw something in the oven for lunch . . . lots of possibilities!  I've got two rooms to make my own and I'm ready to get started.

Another ending-----my SaMpler BlaNKEt!!!!  I finally have finished the thing and I absolutely LOVE IT!!!!!:)  I haven't even used it yet.  It's folded and on the sofa and I just stare at it, hardly able to believe that I made it.  Here's a look!

It's a pretty big blanket and I had a hard time getting the entire blanket in the shot.  I love the colors, the yarn (most of it anyway), the size, the feel of it.  I've washed it and it didn't fall apart, so I know I wove those ends in good!!!!  Here's a close up of the trim:

I wanted something fun considering all of the color and the patterns, so I settled on a little pom-pom edge.  I'm going to attempt to write a tutorial for the trim over the next week, maybe tomorrow if I'm water-logged and stuck in the house!  

With the end of one crochet project, comes the beginning of another.  Since I'm not sure what I really want to work on, and I don't really have time to invest in it now (due to my being a student again :0) I am working on a couple of baby blankets for two co-workers of mine.  I started on one a few days ago.  It's a beautiful buttery yellow cotton yarn I'm using and it's just going to be a big granny square (surprise, surprise) with a sweet little edge.  I may throw in a little beanie too.  When I finish with this blanket, I will start the second.  Here's a peek:

A toast to endings and beginnings!