I'm Diving in...

There is a kid in my 7th grade classed named Pat. This kid is one of the funniest, and yet most frustrating kids in my class. To describe him in this little post would be near impossible. But suffice it to say, he keeps me either entertained or pulling out my hair all day long.

Pat has some "trouble" completing assignments, so everyday I have to initial his planner as insurance for his parents that he has actually written down the correct assignments for the day. Today was certainly no different; unless you count the fact that Pat was particularly wound up. He started in his regular seat, was moved to the back of the room, and was well on his way to his dad's classroom (his dad is the fifth grade teacher across the hall). Sending Pat to his dad's classroom is the equivalent of a prison sentence for the poor kid. So I try only to send him there as a last resort. Anyway, back to the planner. He hadn't turned in his math homework, so I was writing that fact on his planner.

However, while I am in the midst of this Pat begins to run his mouth. Honestly, I don't even remember what he was saying. But I told him that I was going to write on his planner that he was having some attitude problems (I really wasn't going to. I was just bluffing to get him to be quiet.) Except that Pat didn't catch that. He decides to flip out in a way that only Pat Smith can...He starts hyperventilating while half-screaming "noooooooo." He leaps out of his chair and dives across the table in a vain attempt to grab his planner. Not only does he not succeed in wrestling the planner away from me, but he scatters a stack of about 300 papers from where I had placed them a few minutes earlier. He then lands unceremoniously in a heap on the floor at my feet. Yep, that's my student. If it hadn't been so funny I definitely would have sent him to his Dad's room.

There are moments when spending day after day with these kids is worth it. This was one of them. Thanks, Pat.

Reliable?

I must have a sticker on my forehead that says "Cancel on me." I have no idea why, but there are certain individuals in my life who feel free to cancel plans on me whenever they feel like it, at the last minute even. To top it all off, they don't even care that I might have turned down other invitations to go places and do fun things with other people because of said plans. Nope. Makes no difference to them. They apparently couldn't care less that their lack of consideration basically wipes out my day. Thanks guys. Appreciate it.

xlntway

I am an official, one-hundred percent, bonified resident of the state of Nevada. The last DMV paper has been signed, the last of my Illinois identity stripped away. I now have Nevada plates.
Anyone who sees my little green Dodge Spirit will now stare at my bumper and play the game of trying to figure out what my plate means. Let me tell you: "xlntway" translates into "excellent way." In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul says, "And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongue of men and of angels but have not love I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbol. If I have the gift of prophesy and can fathom all mysteries but have not love I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames but have not love, I gain nothing." If I were to have a "life-verse," that would probably be it.
On the upside, it only cost me 44 dollars to register my car (as opposed to 80 something in Illinois). I thought that it was going to be a lot more...I suppose that is a benefit to having an older model car. The downside to the new plates is that when I make a poor driving choice I can no longer let people think that I am an out-of-towner with my out of state plates. I guess I can't have everything!

Really interesting

I am going to start my new job in 40 days. I am extremely excited..but also pretty nervous. I keep having these invading thoughts that are something to the effect of "you are crazy for taking this job because you'll never be able to do it." I know that it is just Satan attacking me. Add to that the butterflies that come with a new job. I keep reminding myself that last August when I started teaching I knew absolutely nothing about anything. And I have learned along the way, and I have made it. I can learn new things. I can learn new things.

On another note, my Dad and one of my very best friends is coming out to Carson City in about a month. I could not be more excited!!! Whooooo Hoooooo