What I've learned in 2nd grade

I've learned that every day I walk into the classroom, I feel really comfortable as soon as the kids get me started.  The day goes by running from one activity and lesson to the next.  I laugh with the kids, I joke with them, I do stupid stuff (on purpose of course) so they can think that they're laughing at the teacher.  They love it when I fumble up my words or when I act like a little insane.  And I've learned that I love it too (as exhausting as it can be).  Making them laugh is one of my favorite parts of being crazy Miss. Greer.

I've learned that hanging out with 7 and 8 year olds all day can be hilarious.  And totally educational.

Oh man, I've got a little LDS girl in one of my classes and she always calls me 'Missuster Greer.'  It's like 'Miss.' and 'Mrs.' and 'Sister' all wrapped into one.  I kind of want to laugh every single time she addresses me.  I need to pay attention and see if she uses the same title with the other teachers.  I'm pretty sure they're Mrs. Sparks and Mrs. Verdugo to her.  But she cracks me up.

I've learned that really, the toughest part is at the end of the day.  Not because the kids are all riled up or anything, I mean after that.  I drop the kids off, and suddenly it's time to plan again. Plan for tomorrow.  For some reason, planning has been excruciatingly painful for me over the last two weeks.  I find it to be something I want to put in the back of my mind-- I just want to start flying by the seat of my pants.  Unfortunately, those lessons never go as well...  The kids end up insane and I end up letting go of the end of my rope.

It's not like I've never been a planner.  I was quite the planner.  Remember right after high school?  I made a 5 year plan.  It included every class I was going to take, every plan for every summer or vacation, as well as a clear and concise budget.  Everything went according to plan.  I took the right classes, I went on the right trips, I turned in my mission papers and left in a timely manner, I served for 18 months.  But something I didn't plan for happened.  I reached the end of the 5 years.  My fool-proof, perfect PLAN had come to a close. And I didn't have the slightest idea of what to do next.  Sometimes, I still don't.  Every plan I've tried to make since that PERFECT 5 YEAR PLAN ended has lost its appeal, savor, or opportunity.  Therefore, planning in general is losing that same appeal that it once had.

So I'm hoping that here at the end of 2nd grade; somewhere between AIMS testing and cinco de mayo, that I learn something new, like, what I really want to do with my life.