1st Day of Third Grade

My day started long before the first school bell with five families coming to meet me while I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off preparing for the first day of school. I tried to be as friendly and inviting as I could without screaming, "DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I HAVE TO DO TO BE PREPARED FOR YOUR CHILD TODAY? MEET ME AT 8:40 WHEN SCHOOL STARTS PLEASE! DO YOU KNOW I ONLY HAD A WEEK TO PREPARE A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR OFFSPRING AND I WORKED 11 UNPAID HOURS YESTERDAY TO BE READY FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL?" Please note that I did not atually say any of those things.
This afternoon I watched the last bus leave school 45 MINUTES AFTER THE LAST BELL. The drama was unbelieveable-which I guess was suppose to be expected since we were in a different building and had over 150 new kids and 15 new staff members. Buses were overcrowded, parents hadn't told kids if they were suppose to get a ride home or ride the bus, and all us teachers were trying to hold it all together.
My students are an interesting bunch and I'm looking forward to getting to know them even more as the year goes on. I saw my students from last year today in the hall and felt a pang of emotion that I was not expecting to have. I still think of them as "my" students I guess. Sometimes I am just blown away by how significant my job really is. I teach children. I introduce them to things they have never heard of or experienced. And as much as I teach them, they also teach me. I love it! And I'm exhuasted. I'm going to bed.