Assessments to Giggles

Originally I had planned for this post to be about camp and school.  But this weekend took a different turn.

This weekend was homecoming at VU.  All of my sorority sisters posted Facebook statuses like "Going to Valpo for the fest," and "Keg and Eggs".  I didn't really expect this to hit me hard.  I mean, my Dad went to VU in the seventies, now lives in the same town and has maybe made it to homecoming five times in the last thirty years.  No big deal, right?  Well, I got a phone call from my friend Kelley (also my Grandlittle in the sorority) about some sorority family updates.  She told me about the sisterly plans and it made my heart sink.  Boy, do I miss college.  I miss homecoming, having old alumnae come to our chapter room, and the usual lecture about showing up sober to this event.  I miss the stupid VU football game that they never win.  I miss going out to eat with my real family after church on this particular Sunday.  Above all, I wish that I could have spent this weekend with my Delta family.

On Friday, a bunch of the volunteers went to see a movie called "Moneyball".  It was about the Oakland A's and their story of triumph.  Usually I'm not a fan of sports movies.  This one was awesome though.  At the end, the main character's daughter wrote him a song.  Part of the lyrics are about her being caught in the middle and growing up.  She says, "Just enjoy the show". I absolutely love that.  Sometimes we get caught up so much in our issues/life that we don't stop to enjoy it.  This past week at school I've been working hard to get my kids where they need to be at for the end of the quarter coming up.  On Thursday, I had my first parent meeting.  Then Friday, one of my kids had the best day he's ever had the last six weeks.  Sometimes I get so caught up in teaching and forget that my kids are only six years old.  They still need their moms.  They still need hugs when they get stung by a bee or to wiggle in their sits.  I kind of had a break through when one of the girls asked me to fix her hair.  I plopped her on my lap, which caused the kids nearest me to get a fit of giggles, and to braid her hair.  It was one of those "Ah Ha" moments that so many teachers talk about.  The last two weeks I've been caught up in a mess of standards, assessments, and classroom discipline.  I forgot to let my kids BE six years old.  They need to laugh.  They need to giggle.  They also need those belly laughs that God gives.

That's my goal this week.

Just enjoy the show