hidden job love

The ups and downs of this job are nothing if not extreme. On Wednesday night I was job hunting and wondering why I'd stuck with teaching for ten years. On the way home today I was saying happy prayers of thanks for having a job I love so much. 

Through all the stress and the overwhelming feeling of never being enough for these kids, it is the little moments that make it worth it. The way a child walks down the hall with confidence after she puts her coat on by herself for the first time. The quavering voice of a friend carefully counting to ten, by herself, independently, without making a mistake, and the joy on her face when she realizes she did it. The full, unprompted, three word sentence that came out of another friend's mouth. Watching two friends participate in somewhat cooperative play without adult guidance. 

The little moments of today were just the right way to end the week. Tiny stitches coming together to sew the quilt of the year. Baby steps. Promises that where we'll be in June was not where we were in September, despite days like Wednesday.