I love roller coasters and almost everything about them – the speed that gets the adrenaline going and the bumps, loops, twists and turns which keep me on the edge of my seat. My favourite part, however, has always been slowly gliding over the crest of first hill, getting a split second to look over the course ahead, before plunging down what is usually the highest, steepest, and fastest hill. In those couple of seconds all the anticipation, fear, and pressure built up during the slow climb to the top is frozen momentarily in time, before being released in an explosion of thrill and excitement—and often, screaming. The past few months have felt a bit like that ride as for several weeks our anticipation for being back at school grew–but so did our fears. We could not see the whole course ahead and yet we knew we were in for some bumps, loops, twists and turns. The government’s announcement of a return to in-person learning at the beginning of August put us over the crest of that first hill, gave us a moment to see what was ahead, before it launched us into several intense weeks of planning and responding to all the things we encountered on the track. Those weeks were filled with a lot of thrill and excitement and, fortunately, only a little screaming! Yesterday morning truly felt like the end of a roller coaster ride when there is the gentle slide into the finish area. We had finally arrived at our destination: the first day of school. And while this school year will undoubtably be another ride with bumps, loops, twists, and turns we know that God will hold us securely through it all and because of that knowledge, we can enjoy the ride!