awards day.

[Disclaimer: This story is not for the weak-stomached.]

About three weeks ago (yes, that's how behind I feel) was the First Quarter Awards Assembly at school.  It started at 9:30 for Intermediate grades and lasted more than an hour (also known as a really long time to keep a class of kids quiet).  They started with some general awards, then moved on to 4th, 5th, then 6th grade.

So we'd been sitting on uncomfortable benches in the cafeteria for awhile before it was finally our turn.  In the midst of the transition from the last class to mine walking up, one of the girls in my class says to me, "Miss Friesen, Alex just threw up on my face."  I can't even explain the thoughts that ran through my head.  My response to her: "What?"  She says again, "Alex threw up on my face."  (Please keep in mind that we are literally walking up to the front as this conversation is happening.)  All I can think to say is "Are you ok?"  She says yes and move into our places on the stage. 

And then suddenly it hit me.  Where was Alex?  I look over and see him, back to the audience, not-so-dry heaving, on the verge of losing it.  All I said to him was, "Go," and he was out practically running out the door.  I calmly carried on, calling names and giving out the awards.  It wasn't until we were sitting back down that the hilarity of the situation really hit me.  Every time I replay the scene in my mind, I just start cracking up.  Even three weeks later, it doesn't get old.  Seriously, the only way I could think that Alex vomited on her face was by throwing up in his mouth and some of it came out because there was nothing on the floor or anywhere else.  By the way, the girl had wiped it off on her sweatshirt, so I didn't see anything.  Thank the Lord because Miss Friesen would have thrown up too.

Of course, after we had sat down, Alex's mom came up to me asking where he was (I had had to say he wasn't there).  I told her I sent him to the office because he had been throwing up.  Her response was "Oh no!  Him too?"  Apparently her younger son had also been throwing up during his assembly.  Lovely.

tuesday evening.

November is off to a quick start.  I had great ambitions of updating my blog each day this month.  Ha!  Well, this is what, post 2 on the 8th day.  Oh well!  I have two goals with this: To reflect on my days and to share with you all about what is going on in my life. 

Things I am thankful for today: 
1. Friends.  I have Bible Study tonight, which I have been attending for just over a year.  While the group has changed over this time, I am thankful for each one of them in my life for a different purpose.  I'm thankful that we can hang out for hours and lose track of time.  I'm thankful that we can dig deep into God's Word together and then have a crazy, off the wall tangent about a movie.  I'm thankful that we can share in life's big moments together, pray for each other in the difficult ones, and just enjoy one another in general.  Words cannot express my thankfulness for each of them.  I'm also thankful for my other friends.  Even when we don't see each other, or even get to talk very often, I know that they are there for me.

2. Cough drops.  With teaching comes the inevitability of getting sick.  What is it about kids and spreading germs?  Last night I felt a little off, but it wasn't until I woke up with a seriously sore throat this morning that I really knew I was getting some sort of bug.  I still don't feel too bad, but my throat is scratchy and I'm really, really, beyond normal tired. 

Praying your Tuesday is going well... 

radio silence.

Please excuse my silence of the last 37 days.  As you might imagine, I've been very busy!  I now have 5 weeks of teaching under my belt.  It's been a bit of a whirlwind experience and a complete overhaul of my life.  I now wake up before the sun every day (looking forward to the time change tomorrow night!), leave the house around 6:55am, get to work just before 7:30, and my day gets off to a start.  I'm also tired by 9pm, which still is crazy to me.  Lights out by 10:30 every night, which isn't usually hard because I'm exhausted, but I do feel like a grandma sometimes :) 

At last report my class had 23 students in it.  By the time I started my first week, they had changed that number to 17.  A couple of weeks later, I had two new students show up (in one day).  Last week, one boy was switched into another 5th grade class at the school because of social issues (aka fighting).  Then on Wednesday this week, I found out that a girl in my class was moving and it was going to be her last day.  So, I'm back to 17 now!

I don't even know where to begin.  I'm loving my job, even though it can keep my every moment busy.  I have to have a "cut off" time so I don't work all night.  I'm happy to do most of it, though, and I love my students.  Out of the 17 I have, 13 are boys.  Three of them in particular keep me on my toes.  Actually, they have "attitude issues" and have a difficult time not talking out and being disruptive in class.  Today was probably one of the best days that one of the boys had.  After I really got on them this week, I'm praying that we are turning a new leaf and that it wasn't just a fluke. 

The school I am working at is pretty high academically, which is wonderful.  It also means I have added pressure to keep these kids at high levels in Language Arts and Math.  For the most part I feel good about it, but sometimes the responsibility overwhelms me for a moment.  The other 5th grade teachers are wonderful and so supportive, anticipating my needs in some cases, and ready and willing to answer questions when I have them. 

I promise to be better about updating.  I also promise to take pictures of my room soon to share with you all...