august always brings about a bit of anxiety for me. 

as a teacher, my mind starts racing with all of little details that need to be set in motion to ensure a smooth start to yet another school year.  while others are enjoying the peak of summer, i often find myself thinking of bulletin boards, lesson plans, and grading pens. 

each and every year, for the past seven years, i have sent out a letter welcoming my new students. i check it off of my to-do list and move onto the next item, not giving it much thought.

but this year was different.  before i had even sent out my welcome letter to my students, for the first time ever our mailbox was the proud reciepent of a letter from a teacher.

arriving in our mailbox was a envelope addressed to our very own elliott.  with great pride, he opened his letter and instanly smiled from ear to ear.

set to the background of a sunny blue sky and children holding hands was a letter telling elliott all about preschool and his new teacher, miss hudson.

and to elliott it was better than Christmas morning.

as we read all about miss hudson, elliott could not contain his joy and the twinkle in his eye.  not only did she she swim this summer just like he did, but she likes to ride her bike too...and...she can't wait to hear all of his stories.

to say the least, elliott fell in love the day he got a letter from his teacher. 

he has carried it in his backpack to the beach, to the store, to bumpa and yia yia's and even to bed. 

and with each chance he gets, he asks any new person to read it,  listening as if it is the first time he has ever heard it.

for the first time ever, i now realized that the letters i send home each august are not just an item to be checked off of a list, but may be a treasure to the students waiting to read them.

so, for the first time in several years, i dusted off my colorful paper, hand wrote my student's names and sent out my letter of welcome with great pride.

thank you elliott drew, for showing me what is important.