The best thing that happened all day was having my prayer answered that my body would be prepared for the soreness it will face tomorrow. (Tomorrow is Day 1 for me in the ski season). Why I ask for such things, I often wonder. Most recently, we got out of the car this evening to help someone else who was in our way and stuck in the gutter. The split second my outside shoe hit the pavement, I went flat on my back over a patch of black ice. What was funny is that with all eyes centered on the car before us, no one saw me slip behind the car door and disappear. (Hmmm…raise your hand if you were with me in the car at Linda’s house.) Now I’m saying my grateful prayers and typing this at an early hour, as I can’t sleep with the throbbing pain that goes up my spine to my neck. ☺
Earlier this morning, I got a little more flexible as well. Okay, more like unbalanced. Today was also Day 1 in 2009 for teaching my second graders again. As soon as I walked in the class they mobbed me as they have before. Last time I fell, there were raised, carpeted stairs beside me, but this time in the classroom only the “cubby” shelving cushioned me. What I loved though, and the best thing I heard all day, was my teacher’s sass response to the children’s chaos: “2nd graders, if you really want her to be your teacher today, the way to show it is NOT to knock her over and injure her. Let’s be respectful, please” (as she looked at me and smirked). For a second the mob froze, looked her way with puzzlement, and looked quizzically back at me as if thinking, “Really? Can there be anything other than a positive correlation between literally bombarding Miss Blair and showing her we missed her?” Ah shucks, I’ve missed them too--even the nameless one I’ve described concerning bribes and wearing me out in tag at recess. I didn’t know whether or not to be relieved or sad by the time the fourth student told me he had moved (as if I hadn’t noticed already by their impeccable morning behavior). Instead, I had fun unintentionally playing hide and go seek with the new student. He thinks it’s funny to go hide somewhere in the room, or leave the classroom altogether, and see how long it takes me to notice that he’s out of his seat. ☺
