A Haiku

We studied haikus a few weeks ago and some of the students are quite obsessed with them. One student who hadn't written them for a couple weeks came up to me and asked what my favorite color was and if I spell my title "Ms.," or "Mrs.," or "Miss." I told her that either of the first two would be fine.

At the end of the class I had this sitting on my desk:

Mrs. Barlow

(in big, blue, bubble letters)

Mrs. Barlow so sweet

Heart as big as an iceberg

Souls full of her love

It's the little things that make all of the tears, headaches, stress, and interrupted sleep worth it. Or, so I am telling myself this weekend. I had one of those Fridays where you are really just at your wits end. I told Jim, "You know something's wrong when a student comes to ask you to go to the bathroom and you snap at them before they even ask!" Who I am to stop their bodies from being relieved!? They weren't even the student(s) who brought me to this state!

When the last ounce of patience is gone then it is time for a weekend.

Rejuvenation.

Stress-free.

Relax.

Breathe.

And grade papers and plan lessons... oof!