Tonight I had to lead a parent meeting for Cate's preschool. The purpose was to elect a new board for the following year.

I've been on the board of the preschool for the past 3 years, including 2 as the Chair. It's been some of the 3 biggest years the school has seen -- hiring new teachers after the teachers that had been there for 18 years retired, finding a new school and moving the classroom and all its supplies, planning for a remodel to bring the new building up to current codes. It has kept me busy.

Working with all those parents who are gung-ho about being involved in their kids' lives and improving the educational system that their kids are part of has been terribly gratifying, but also exhausting by the end here. By the end of tonight's meeting, we had all the board positions for next year filled -- and I'm not one of them. It feels strange yet exhilarating. I'll have more responsibilities at Christopher's school next year, and have offered both the preschool and the soup kitchen my pro bono grant writing skills. And I may get involved in the preschool parent organization. It's not like I'll be sitting around eating bon-bons. But not being the big cheese in charge of all the big things going on at the preschool seems pretty wonderful right now. I'm looking forward to being able to help out in little ways and being that little blessing that I've been too busy/exhausted to do this year as I scurried with all the big things (licensing, architects, dealing with the new church we are the tenant of). Hurray!