I've become a babysitter

I feel fairly free to admit this.  I'm 99% sure no one from work reads this blog.  And if they do, then oh well.  Nothing I write will be a fire-able offense...  Just maybe offensive.

I have become a babysitter.  My official title is Instructor.  That means I teach part of the time and aide the rest.  I don't have my own classroom, but I am there for a teacher whenever she needs me.  I've really enjoyed my job.  I love the people I work with (even with some of their quirks and drama).  I love that I was able to see whether or not I could do this teaching thing.  I love it.

However.

The past 6-8 weeks has been... rough.  To say the least.  The teacher I work with (who shall remain nameless, but for the sake of this post, we will call her Mildred) has checked out.  Now- all the staff at school right now are burnt out.  It's understandable.  It's been a long, eventful school year.  Much joy and laughter, tears and drama.  But Mildred has checked out.  I spend the day babysitting twelve year-olds because she has decided there is nothing else to teach them.  And yet, there are two and a half weeks left til school is actually out.  This is a problem.

So basically, I find any excuse to leave the classroom, and "prepare for next year".  I actually am preparing for next year, in which I will take the place of Mildred as the sixth grade teacher.  And I will actually teach until they tell me not to, not just sit at my desk and play on my phone while yelling at the kids to be quiet and work on their non-existent homework.

Yes.  I will teach.  Not check out.

Life

Life is challenging.  Life is hard.  Life is surprising.


Today it is all of the above.


And I'm not sure if it will end well in the short term.  Long term will always end well (if I can gain some patience back- see previous post).  But it's interesting what a two minute conversation can do to what you thought was your future.


No.  I'm not pregnant (I just think some people might think that, after reading this post).

Patience is Key.

pa·tience

 [pey-shuhns]

noun

1.

the quality of being patient,  as the bearing of provocation,annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss oftemper, irritation, or the like.

2.

an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness orannoyance when confronted with delay: to have patiencewith a slow learner.

3.

quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence:to work with patience.

I like to think I am a patient person.  A laid-back person.  Chill.  

Lately, I think that quality is running thin.  These sixth graders suck the patience out of me.  Everyday.  And then I come home and have no patience for anything- crumbs on the counter, laundry piled on the couch, evidence of wasted time (let's just forget that most of these things are self-inflicted).

Ask Josh.  I don't necessarily stay patient without complaint, loss of temper, or irritation.  At least there is only 22 school days left.  Then summer will come and I can stock up on the quiet, steady perseverance and even-tempered care before school starts again in the fall and I become the impatient teacher.

22 days.

Instagram Discovered

We've jumped the bandwagon and gotten Iphones, and everything that comes with them: Angry Birds, Plants vs Zombies, etc. etc.  I've joined the crowd of Instagrammers to turn my photos into vintage-looking, somewhat pretentious works of art.  I think Amy would hate it because it makes anyone feel like they are instant photographers...... which is true.  I do feel very artistic when I crop my photos and add the layers to make them look awesome.  Sorry, Amy.

Here are some of my recent favorites.

Our Cherry Tree:

Apricot Tree

And spring flowered walkway:

Josh's Sunday nap (my favorite. He's so handsome.):

Yes.  I try to be trendy.  And I love it.