Right after I got done bragging about not having any back-to-school dreams, I had the worst one ever. I'll keep it short because dream retellings are not the best reading material, but here's the gist:

I showed up at school to teach even though before that very morning, I had no idea I'd be teaching anything at all. I didn't attend any of the teacher workshops. I had no lesson plans. I couldn't even find my classroom, even though it was my school and everyone had a familiar face. It was your run-of-the-mill nightmare scenario, me wandering the halls with my arms full, getting jostled by adolescents, and colleagues waving and smiling at me without providing any answers to my myriad questions.

And, so, I guess we can conclude that I'm feeling seasonal anxiety despite my adjusted career plans. Old habits die hard, I guess. And, you should probably not brag. These are the themes of this blog post.

I'm done at school for the week and headed to the National Council of Teachers of English convention in Orlando. This is going to be fantastic, and not only because it's the first time (except for that dumb run-around-the-clock relay race) that I've been away from home in a year.

Also, on Sunday when Dan picks me up from the airport, he'll be picking me up in our new minivan.

Yes, my life's dream has finally come true!

It's an eight-passenger, grey, svelte Sienna. And my first week driving it will probably be the best week of my life, except for maybe the week of and after my wedding. I would say the weeks that my kids were born were great too, except they so totally weren't. Remember the 30-hour long labor and then c-section? And then the next 12-hour labor and then c-section? Because I DO.

So.

Orlando, here I come! And when it's over, there will probably be a new blogging challenge. Bring it, Lee! Bring it, Jessie! Bring it, Gina! Bring it, Mary! Bring it, Pronto! Bring it, Dobby! I'm so planning to win this year.