Day 347- Mary*
I'm usually not a wah wah wah it's Monday kind of person. It's not Monday's fault that it happens to fall at that time of the week that tears you away from Sunday and the weekend and everything happy. In fact, I kind of like Mondays sometimes. Shh... don't tell. Monday is the day to start fresh and new. You are still feeling that weekend buzz and not yet feeling the weekday fatigue. You (hopefully) have clean laundry and a fridge full of groceries and the idea of having a fabulous week is still a possibility.
However, I must confess that I was really ticked that it was Monday when I woke up today.
My "case of the Mondays" led to an irritable and frazzled kind of morning at home. Bad attitude= bad morning. Haven't I figured that out yet? There were a variety of factors at play that were really not important and seem much more trivial now. I will overshare that part of the problem was that it took three different pairs of pants to find one that buttoned. Perhaps I took Thanksgiving a little too far this year...
I'm not sorry.
Aaaand that's as far as the whine can go. On the way to the work, I reminded myself of the things that were important and made the choice to not take out my hatred of interior pants buttons on Monday or on my students. We all deserve better than that. I also found Christmas music chasing me around the radio, and I just don't see how a person could stay cranky when folks are singing about Christmas.
By the time I got to school, it was all good. I wasn't even mad when I discovered that our heat wasn't working and saw that my classroom temperature was less than 60 degrees. Not mad, just a little chilly. I had a Not-So-Secret Society (fun committee) meeting before school, and it did wonders for my state of mind to plan holiday events and chatter and laugh. When I got back downstairs to my room for hallway duty, I was almost ready to take on the day.
Mary was in my room first thing this morning. Wearing her Ohio State sweatshirt.
To be fair, Mary has been wearing this sweatshirt all year and cheering on the Buckeyes. She has also been very troubled this year and for the past month or two in particular. She is brilliant and funny and has an incredible amount of potential, and I have been trying my darndest to connect with her. I think she may finally be starting to turn a corner in her life. This means that she is turning that corner at school as well, and we're all excited to see that happen. She was as chipper as can be this morning and asked if she could borrow a pencil for a minute. I sent her into my room and called behind her, "You know I'm a little sensitive about Ohio State today, Mary!"
"I know," she said, twirling her Buckeye (do I really have to capitalize that dang word?) beads around her neck. When she left my room, I thought I saw her give me a little wink. It threw me a bit, but I was glad to see her happy. When I made it back behind my desk to take attendance in first hour, I realized that it had definitely been a wink. There, sitting right next to my computer, was some sort of Sloopy Ohio State Marching Band cd. There was a little note sitting next to it that said You can borrow this sometime if you want.
I couldn't help but smile.
After first hour, I saw Mary at her locker stealing glances my way. I called her over and let her know that I had found her little present. I asked if she wanted it back or if I should just run it over with my car. Then, I told her that she had given me a much needed laugh this morning and thanked her for her sense of humor. I saw a little twinkle in her eye that I have not seen in quite some time. I could not be more thrilled for Mary that one way or another she is getting her stuff together and is present in her classes again. It's really nice to have her back... even if I am still a little sensitive about that whole buckeye (ha! take that! lower case) business.
Thank you, Mary*, you made my day.
However, I must confess that I was really ticked that it was Monday when I woke up today.
My "case of the Mondays" led to an irritable and frazzled kind of morning at home. Bad attitude= bad morning. Haven't I figured that out yet? There were a variety of factors at play that were really not important and seem much more trivial now. I will overshare that part of the problem was that it took three different pairs of pants to find one that buttoned. Perhaps I took Thanksgiving a little too far this year...
I'm not sorry.
Aaaand that's as far as the whine can go. On the way to the work, I reminded myself of the things that were important and made the choice to not take out my hatred of interior pants buttons on Monday or on my students. We all deserve better than that. I also found Christmas music chasing me around the radio, and I just don't see how a person could stay cranky when folks are singing about Christmas.
By the time I got to school, it was all good. I wasn't even mad when I discovered that our heat wasn't working and saw that my classroom temperature was less than 60 degrees. Not mad, just a little chilly. I had a Not-So-Secret Society (fun committee) meeting before school, and it did wonders for my state of mind to plan holiday events and chatter and laugh. When I got back downstairs to my room for hallway duty, I was almost ready to take on the day.
Mary was in my room first thing this morning. Wearing her Ohio State sweatshirt.
To be fair, Mary has been wearing this sweatshirt all year and cheering on the Buckeyes. She has also been very troubled this year and for the past month or two in particular. She is brilliant and funny and has an incredible amount of potential, and I have been trying my darndest to connect with her. I think she may finally be starting to turn a corner in her life. This means that she is turning that corner at school as well, and we're all excited to see that happen. She was as chipper as can be this morning and asked if she could borrow a pencil for a minute. I sent her into my room and called behind her, "You know I'm a little sensitive about Ohio State today, Mary!"
"I know," she said, twirling her Buckeye (do I really have to capitalize that dang word?) beads around her neck. When she left my room, I thought I saw her give me a little wink. It threw me a bit, but I was glad to see her happy. When I made it back behind my desk to take attendance in first hour, I realized that it had definitely been a wink. There, sitting right next to my computer, was some sort of Sloopy Ohio State Marching Band cd. There was a little note sitting next to it that said You can borrow this sometime if you want.
I couldn't help but smile.
After first hour, I saw Mary at her locker stealing glances my way. I called her over and let her know that I had found her little present. I asked if she wanted it back or if I should just run it over with my car. Then, I told her that she had given me a much needed laugh this morning and thanked her for her sense of humor. I saw a little twinkle in her eye that I have not seen in quite some time. I could not be more thrilled for Mary that one way or another she is getting her stuff together and is present in her classes again. It's really nice to have her back... even if I am still a little sensitive about that whole buckeye (ha! take that! lower case) business.
Thank you, Mary*, you made my day.
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