I was not a happy camper when the alarm went off this morning. I was not a happy camper as I stood in the shower trying to remember why exactly I was up so early. I was not a happy camper as I drove to work in the dark. Or when I got to work and heard about our crazy kids over intersession. Or when I started wrestling with the large mound of paperwork waiting for me.
Can you blame me? For the first week of intersession Mr. Lipstick and I ran around Peru, exploring Machu Picchu, Cusco, and Lima. The next week I stayed in- napping with my cat and enjoying the gorgeous show the trees outside my windows are currently performing. How could I deny myself another day of reading, hot chocolate mug in hand, letting the cat nap on me, and watching the sun dance through the spectacular colored leaves outside my window? I mean, going to work today was almost criminal.
I did it anyway, but don't think that I liked it.
Today bounced back and forth between reminding me why I'll be setting my alarm tomorrow morning and making me think longingly of my couch and current novel waiting for me at home.
...we carved a pumpkin in kindergarten. There is perhaps nothing better than watching 5 year old faces twist in horror and excitement as we pull out the "guts" of the pumpkin. Nothing better until their faces light up when we ask them to put their own hand inside the orange goo.
Today we met our new Assistant principal and another new staff member, learned that we still have a fighting chance at keeping our year-round calendar (but now is the time to fight), and learned there would be some moving of offices, which is always stressful. But I was doing ok.
Until I discovered that on Wednesday morning I am expected to be in 4 places at the same time. I have not yet completed my time-travel machine, or my self-cloning technique, so this is going to prove difficult. The minute I saw my schedule I grabbed my keys, dreaming of driving home as fast as I could, curling up under a blanket, looking at the leaves, taking deep breaths, and never coming back to school. But then I uncurled my hand, put the keys back in my purse, and took a large breath. Because
...a little one looked at me and said, "Mrs. Lipstick, I, you, I, you,.... I missed, I missed, I missed YOU!"
To which my story teller responded,
"I didn't miss you. I had too much fun." And later added, "By the way, you shouldn't go to the party store 'cause their costumes will give you nightmares!"
Today I fought with the printer, the fax machine, my files, the copier, and my calendar. I emailed more than I taught.
...but I got to chat with fabulous friend about the new addition to her family- "yeah, my mom's having a baby. It's a GIRL. My mom doesn't want a girl. My mom wants a boy"
To which her friend responded, "I think fabulous friend's parents must be married if they're having a new baby!"
*Can you imagine being fabulous friend's little sister- not only having to share your toys with fabulous friend and living in her footsteps, but also having her inform you, most likely over and over again, that your mother really just wanted a boy? I hope fabulous friend forgets this incident...
And, as I was pulling away from school my phone rang. Our school librarian was on the other end.
"Can I just read you the best first line of a book ever?" she asked,
And she proceeded to read a line from a new Max and Ruby book about Max hiding his pop sickle where no one would find it. And yes, it was the best first line of a book ever. And I love that even on wishy-washy stressful days, right when I'm wondering if this is really the right job for me, the people I work with find a way to remind me just how fabulous the think tank is by sharing a story, brainstorming new ideas, or simply calling just to read aloud from a children's story.
Maybe I'll go back to work after all.
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