Thanks, alumni

This time of the school year is always especially stressful with many deadlines and projects to manage. Just as I was winding down my own studies this spring, I expected that other projects would fall into place and all would be OK.

On the contrary, other items have flared up, and I am just as busy the last week or so as ever.

Just when I have almost had it with students and school bureaucracy and, worst of all, cranky parents, my former students come to the resuce to remind me that everything turns out fine in the end, and everyone grows up. Or at least some of them do, and they become really nice people.

So it was a special pleasure when four -- count 'em, four -- former students stopped by to say hi now that they are back from college or are through town. Another e-mailed to ask when would be a good time to stop by (she's always been a polite one). It was neat to catch up with these former students and see that their lives are going well and they are becoming successful. Of course, these are also kids I liked in school, related to well, and maintained a relationship with.

I know I'll add a few more alumni to the list in just a few weeks, and they will stop by in a year to say hi. And I'll have forgotten how much I wanted to wring their necks this week as they flaked their way to graduation night.

But I'm still counting down.

An update (May 21): I also received two college graduation announcements from alumni. That's nice.

-- Wenatchee, Wash.