Edumacatin'

This will be one of those post that is probably of no consequence to anyone but me. I just feel like it will be fun to remember this day a year from now. And we all know the only things I remember are the things I write down. :)

You have to know that Wednesdays are my crazy days. C.R.A.Z.Y. I run pick up the kids from school and run back to the house to drop Eli off before Sarah and I head to the dance studio. I start teaching dance classes at 3:00 and go until 6:30. Sarah and I then fly to the house and I take a 4 1/2 minute shower and rush off to church. It is usually 8:30 or so by the time we are done visiting and rounding up children and we still have not had supper so we head to McDonald's or Burger King where the employees there probably think bad thoughts about a mother ordering supper for her children at a quarter til nine on a school night. The kids always have lots to talk about on these late Wednesday nights because I haven't had much time to hear about their school day or church. Sarah also has to fill her daddy in on dance. I just want everybody to go to bed so I can sit in the recliner and stare at the wall. So, that is where I am now. Winding down and sipping enough caffeine to at least get me through one more load of laundry and into the bed.

In case I haven't told y'all enough, I love my job. Really I do. I had no idea how much I would fall in love with my little dancers. I feel like they all belong to me and I just live for their hugs and to hear their sweet little voices. I have to tell you though, there are days when I feel like I earn every penny I make and today was one of those days. I had a new student and as is often the case she was hesitant to join in the activity. Her Mom hunkered down in the back of the classroom to calm her. I also had one of my Saturday girls making up the class that was cancelled while I was out of town. I cannot explain how one different person or one small change in our dance schedule totally changes the dynamic of a class, but it does. Today we had a case of "Breakdown Ballerinas" and "Disappearing Divas". I am not kidding, everytime I turned around girls were missing. It got to the point where they would all just take off and run out of the room everytime I turned my back to change the music. While we were doing plies I had 2 girls actually dancing with me. Two more escaped and one was literally being dragged across the floor by my assisant crying. (It was her sister, btw. In my class we only holler at and drag people we are related to. Like Kate. And this poor student. :) During tap one of my girls who is always a total angel put her foot down and refused to move to the side of the barre I told her to. I mean flat out refused. All I could think was that this was just the most fabulous day for a new mom to check out our class. :)

I survived   finished that class and it was time for ballet with my 6-8 year olds. It went very well and that was a relief. It was during that class though when one of my students pointed out I was not wearing make-up. I confirmed that I wasn't. She said she could tell because I looked asleep. You just gotta love the honesty of kids. But the truth is, I'm still recovering from my trip and after that first hour and a half class, I didnt' know if all the make-up in the world would help me!! Thankfully my make-up free face didn't seem to tragically scar anyone. Emotional scarring would come later, in jazz class. You see, we are performing "Thriller" at our town's upcoming festival, and yes, I do know it is crazy for a preacher's wife to be teaching "Thriller". What can I say? Well, we have a boy who is dressing up in a wolfman costume for the beginning of the song. He came tonight to learn what he was doing and came in full mask and hairy hands. All was fine for the first time we danced until one of the girls came crying her eyes out. I feared she had been trampled when the girls made their way back to the corner to start the dance. No. She was terrified of the mask. TERRIFIED. Like, she had to leave and right this very minute I am concerned she is having nightmares and may never step foot in the dance studio again. I can just hear her telling her therapist, "This preacher's wife was teaching me "Thriller" and there was this mask, and all this hair and oh, it's just too painful to talk about!" Will you please join me in praying that I have not traumatized this child for life? Thanks.

So, we get to church tonight and I am teaching Eli's class. We are having a lesson on prayer and how God prefers that our prayers be for Him and not just for others to hear. Very spiritual stuff. This is the feedback I get: First, one of the boys informs me my house is haunted. They've heard a piano playing and seen shadows before we moved in. (What is with me and the haunted houses lately?????) Second, another boy informs me, "My Nana watches Dr. Phil and there was this guy and all he eats is pizza."  It is at this point that I realize I have imparted exactly zero spiritual knowledge to these children so we head to the fellowship hall to eat some pizza. We may all be on Dr. Phil soon.

So, I was just thinking what a blessing I have been to this community. Edumacatin' these children in such a fabulous way. I guess you can say one thing about my teaching-these children will never be the same!!!!!!!!!!!!