"So....when's lunch?"

In a nutshell the Kansas City Hospice House was a gorgeous place and everything a hospice house should be. The interview went really well and once again I was offered a job (Mrs. Nelson would say, "I think there's a BUT coming") but, they only needed someone PRN (not so fancy medical language for as needed and only when we call you) and for one 12 hour shift on Saturdays. I mean, I love the field of death and dying just as much as the next gal, but seriously, a 12 hour shift of nothing but helping grieving families and answering the phone? Once again, thanks for meeting with me, but no thank you. I did meet one of the lovely volunteer coordinators on the way out of the building and figured, what the heck, volunteering in the Hospice House would be great too! Robbie said, "Catie, I am pretty sure you're heading in the wrong direction."

Wednesday was my last day at Menorah and I really expected the day to drag. I also didn't expect much in the way of goodbyes mostly because I had told very few people I was leaving. So you can imagine my surprise when I found a warm whole wheat Einstein Brothers bagel with honey almond cream cheese and coffee waiting on my desk for me that morning. It was a special "going away treat" and it really did make me feel special. Thanks Lynn. Throughout the day as co-workers were ending their shifts I experienced many hugs and words of encouragement. It was nice to realize someone recognized my meager contribution to the department. It's just too bad it didn't come from the company I worked for.

This morning I got up around 7 am and made my coffee and turned on the news and contemplated planting myself on the couch in front of a fire with a book for the entire day, even disregarding my husbands "suggestion" I "should get all of the laundry done since I didn't really have anything else to do." That's what I was doing when Mrs. Nelson sent me this text...

"Are you up?"

She's my walking partner and I knew she had been sick the last few days because I was sleeping way past 5 am so I just figured she had succumbed to the illness and recognized an instant, if not desparate, substitute when she saw one and decided to pounce. My response:

"Yep"

My phone rang and apparently the Kindergarten teacher had also fallen ill (and let's be realistic here, who isn't sick at school right now?) and was I available? I got there as quickly as I could.

So, today, January 31, 2008, I spent an entire day with the kindergartners and have survived to tell my version of the story (I only wish I could be at each of their homes this evening to hear their own!) Granted, I already knew these kids and the school and one of my BFF's classroom was only two doors down, it was still kindergarten...5 and 6 year old little boys and girls. I know people who would find more enjoyment out of gnawing off their own feet than spending a day with a class of spontaneous, loud and messy kids. I, however, loved almost every, single minute of it and no, I am not changing my major...again.

It is peculiar hearing your name that much in a single day, usually by the same child with some tattling-type information about what another child did to cause agony in the classroom. Peculiar indeed. The identical twin boys both with names inconveniently similar graciously reminded me a million times, "No Mrs. Knight, I am So & So, remember? White shirt." I watched them play separately and work separately but always taking the time to show each other what they had completed, accomplished or struggled with. It was very sweet. At one point White Shirted Brother went to Blue Shirted, Chocolate Milk Stained Brother and said, "Here, I colored this for you!"

We read Tacky the Penguin and discussed how our differences make us incredibly special. I love how quiet they are when they're read to and how, despite the electronic and hi-tech world they will only ever know, they can be moved by simple illustrations of a plump penguin in a floral button-up.

Because it is so cold outside, recess was indoors and when recess is indoors the kids get to bring a toy from home to play with in the classroom. The only catch is, they have to share their toy. One little boy was sharing his Bumblebee Transformer with a class-mate and I was marveling with them about how cool that particular transformer was and how I really wished I could have found a certain Transformer for my husband for Christmas but it seemed all the stores sold out of them rather quickly. One of the boys looked at me thoughtfully and said with the most earnest sincerity, "Maybe he should write a letter to Santa for it next year." He also made me promise that I would share this advice with my husband as soon as I got home. Robbie, consider yourself advised.

Mrs. S. picked a bad day to be gone. It was Staff Appreciation Day and we had Garozzo's catered...yummy! I received some lovely tulips and many sweet notes of thanks from my students. I felt really lucky to be there today, a day I would have normally missed out on.

So, it seems the 6th grade teacher and Mrs. Nelson may be down for the count tomorrow...I think they all see a brilliant opportunity in my apparent unemployed state. No worries. I am grateful to be able to meet a need and make some money. Besides, I think I have found the perfect job. Subbing only requires patience for a day or two and really all of the hard work of lesson planning and teaching processes are done. Heck, those kids only needed me today to ding the little bell to tell them when recess was over, when literacy centers were beginning and when to line up for lunch. It was a pretty stress-free day and I got to play a couple of really mean games of Ants In Your Pants. I won second place in our "tournament" and I don't even mind bragging about it!