Hi, My Bloggy Friends- I Miss You...

I wish I had some cool posts a brewin'. I mean I would be happy to even have ideas for them. Pre-2nd grade I would lay awake at night composing blog entries in my head, seriously! Now I lay in bed and do lesson plans in my head, that is if I don't fall immediately asleep. I have still been lurking most of your blogs and really miss being in the circle. Maybe I'll be back soon. I have great pictures of the awesome weekend we had last week, but no time to download them.

After being at school for 13 hours today, it ain't going to be tonight either. I have been so tired and remembering how teaching takes everything out of you that I have seriously resigned myself to finding another profession and bronzing the ole' teaching license, then tonight...

Tonight I actually had a lot of fun working my booth at Cheetah Fest because I got to hang out with my students. I totally love kids, and it was fun to just talk with them because it is so sad that during the school day I don't get to do near enough of that with being constantly pulled in a dozen directions (please pause here to admire the length of that sentence. It's almost as good as the papers I grade with one period at the end of an entire story!). So, I did enjoy my time with my students, but I could be the cool mom and still get to hang out with kids, then tonight...

I am standing in a long line to get my pizza at Cheetah Fest when this teenager comes up to me. She says, "Mrs. Dodd!" I look past the piercing and teenager make-up, and I see a child's face I remember. She quickly told me her name, but I think I would've gotten it given a minute to think because I have never not known the name of one of my former students (I'm very proud of that record, but in my defense I only had this girl for reading). Then she said it, "You were the teacher who made me love reading."

If you are not a teacher you may not get the profoundness of this statement, but trust me it is SO what it is all about. It makes everything worth it. So, there I stand hugging this beautiful girl, tearing up and thinking I might not bronze that certificate after all.

It would indeed be a lovely post if it ended here, but...

Then one of my former students comes along with his child that is in my daughter's class! Yeah, you do the math. I had him in 4th grade not long enough ago. I'm really hoping she's his stepdaughter, or he wasn't who I thought he was because I didn't have the guts to talk to him! Wow! This is for AJ and MK: remember a certain red head with freckles who I once gave a jar with 10 cotton balls in it and told him to give me 1 every time he asked me a question and when they were gone he couldn't ask me anymore? Yes, I know not my finest teaching moment, but you so had to be there!I guess I totally ruined the "awwww" factor I had going with the previous student story. Oh well, Aj will back me up on that one!

Anywho, I'm tired and rambling. I for one am glad to be out of gas and not able to go anywhere this weekend!