42 days and Funny Kids

   42 days until I peace out to Africa and here is where my life is at...

   I told my students about my leaving last week during a wing meeting.  It was difficult telling them, but freeing at the same time. I actually have a funny story to go along with this. One of my students was not paying any attention and was texting and spacing out during the meeting right when I told them I was going to Africa and loudly said to a student sitting next to her about 10 minutes later, "Wait, we're going to Africa?" to which about 20 other students responded with "No, SHE is!" in unison. It was a great lesson in paying attention for that student and provided me with an amazing dose of comic relief.
  I still have a month left at work, and I'm honestly finding it very difficult to focus. I put a smile on my face and push through and am trying to enjoy the moments during which I feel like I'm helping a student or having fun with them. For example, we randomly had a dance party on my wing the other day, and I tried to learn how to dance "the jerk" and ended up looking ridiculous but laughing a whole lot. Moments like that help.
   This weekend I will have four days off because I have a lot of personal days. My aunt and one of my cousins are coming up to Maine to visit, and I want to be able to spend time with them. They probably won't travel up this way again before April, which means this will be the last time I see them before going to Africa. We have plans of snow tubing, eating, shopping, and going to my little brother's dance rehearsals. It will be nice.
   I spent the weekend before Valentine's Day going out to dinner with two of my best friends, and it was glorious. We ate so much. I also received some pretty fantastic tokens of their love including a candy heart ring and a card about bugs haha. Actual Valentine's day was spent working and dealing with some tough situations with students treating each other very badly. However, in the end I was able to help them resolve their conflict, and I think gain some respect for each other. I think that is what I like most about my job right now; teaching my students to try to see things from each other's point of view a little. Today I saw a room of girls who told me two days ago that they could never get along again or respect each other talking and smiling, and then I watched them go into the cafeteria to eat dinner together. I'd be lying if I said that didn't put a smile on my face.

   So I will make it through the next month thinking about moments like these and by spending every chance I get away from work with those I love.

I'm happy, and life is good (with a side of crazy)