Bring on the Rain

In the chaos that has been my life recently, I haven't found the time to blog as much as I'd like.

But today, it's time.

My day at school started with welcoming my cherubs into our room, and I was amazed at how perfectly and smoothly our morning was running...until a student from another first grade class came into my room and told me one of my kids was "hiding in the curtains".  This is physically impossible in my classroom, so I asked her to show me.  (One of the saints- if you've never worked in a school, you can't appreciate how saint-like our teacher assistants are, truly- was with my kids.)  She started leading me to the multipurpose room, which I entered from the back door onto the stage, where I found two of my children playing hide and seek and opened the curtains to find two more.  It was not a happy walk back to Room 109.

About 10 minutes later, two of my children started fighting.  Another was completely disrespectful and insisted on disrupting all things productive for the entire day.  Another pitched fits off and on all day.  Still two more were fighting on the playground.  That's not all of it, but that's all I care to remember at the moment.

Today was a wreck.

Today was the closest I've come to tears over work in I don't even know how long.  Frustrated, angry, tired tears.

And then...

As I'm lining my children up in their various bus lines to go home, a child from another first grade class grabbed my hand, smiled at me, and gave me one of the sweetest hugs I have ever gotten.

In that moment, at the end of the day and at the end of my rope, I firmly believe that God placed that child there to remind me that I have been called to teach, to remind me that every time a child is in front of me, it's a divine appointment, to remind me that I do make a difference, to remind me that I truly do love my (crazy, tiring, thankless, mostly fun) job.

This evening, I am thankful.  I am thankful for that sweet child.  I'm thankful for co-workers who honestly, completely, whole-heartedly get it, and for some that will even do "Insanity" work outs with me after school (as if we don't get enough during the day...).  I'm thankful for my job.  I'm thankful for dinner with my mom.  I'm thankful for my precious friends.  I'm thankful for the chaos, because, today, I asked Jesus to hold my hand more than I have on a regular day in a while.  I'm thankful that He did.  I'm thankful for the peace He has provided for me at home and in my heart.  I'm thankful that His mercies are new every morning, and tomorrow is another day.

Tomorrow's another day, and I'm thirsty anyway, so bring on the rain.