Happy Valentine’s Day!!! I typically don’t write posts during the week, no time with my two jobs. Today I am making an exception. It might help you to understand my everyday life. And I hope it gives you a laugh. People always ask me how much stress do I really have? Well….. today is a good example that starts that way but ends in a wonderful place.
So, over the weekend, my class had this huge pancake breakfast. It was a great fundraiser! We had tons of people, so many parents helped us, it was amazing. At the end there was a lot of food leftover. Two large, full foil pans of pancakes and an equal sized tray of sausages. And there was juice. The plan was to keep the leftovers and serve them up this morning to my class. This would be the easiest party ever!
Valentine’s Day being today, and it being Tuesday, the only time I have my eighth grade homeroom is period two. So we decided that breakfast would be perfect. All I had to do was warm it, and we are ready to roll.
At the end of the day, I made a post for our closed school webpage telling the eighth grade parents it was a great day to be a “foodie.” We were having this delicious breakfast and then the students earned a pizza and ice cream lunch! Ten o’clock comes and I get a message on Facebook messenger. No one knew that those foil pans were for eighth grade and the food had been thrown out. Thrown out? What?? Why didn’t they ask? Oh my gosh, what do I do now? It’s ten o’clock!! And my heart started racing. What am I going to do??
Did I forget to mention that I am also in the middle of a detox?? Meaning I am giving my digestive system a break. Yeah…… I texted Dr. Jack. I am in panic mode! I have twenty two hungry teens showing up in the morning. What am I going to do? It’s too late to call parents! It’s too late to order breakfast pizza…oh my gosh……
Think Chris, think. I remembered that I still had the syrup, butter coming in, a fruit salad, and the syrup. And!! There was two boxes still of pancake mix that we didn’t use. What can I do? I can go in early and make pancakes. I just don’t even want to do that. I am aggravated that no one asked, aggravated that all that food was wasted. I was not in a good mental place and what domes to mind? Sugar!! I need sugar!!
I got home and grabbed some vegetables and started chomping and then I thought, ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh… I am in the middle of a detox for crying out loud! I have to calm down and think here. Just think….. think solution, not anger, but solution.
I can bring my waffle iron to school! This is Catholic school so on Tuesdays my class goes to Mass during period one. I texted my trusty partner and asked her to take my kids to Mass, that freed up period one. Okay, this is doable.
Then this morning I packed what looked like UHaul, and headed off to school. We have nothing upstairs and yes, I could have made it in the kitchen. But I was still keyed up and I wanted to just be in my classroom, alone. I lugged all the things I brought up to my third floor classroom and got things organized. Then I headed down to meet the students downstairs. I had visions of the eye rolling and groans.
I got them in a circle and I started with, “You need to listen to me and not say anything until I am totally done. Okay, so here is what happened………… and so while you are at Church, I am going up to make us waffles.” And then I held my breath. Instead of the moaning and groaning, I was surrounded with HUGS and, “Thank you Mrs. O!!” They were so appreciative.
I got them off to Church and headed up. And then I got the big production going. And all of a sudden it hit me how silly this was….. here I am in the middle of a detox. I am going to make a million waffles, watch them eat them and then watch them eat pizza and ice cream. And all of a sudden I just started laughing. Like how silly this is……… As one of my partners reminded me, “Chris, you are crazy!!!!”
The kids came back and the first one walked in, “Mrs. O, I can smell them coming up the stairs. They smell so good.” Another, “This is the best Valentine party. Mrs. O have you ever made waffles for another class?” For your reference, that is a huge thing about bragging rights with kids. It is one of those, “She did it for us and not you,” things.
They lined up, plates in hand. They sat down and started eating away, and I got rave reviews! I guess it comes as shock that your teacher can cook food. Ha ha!! “how many can we have? These are good.” And my heart smiled……
My students know I don’t eat any candy, but a few came bearing gifts. Some lotion and soap, some flowers, many cards, lots of love.
I got so many hugs, so many thank you’s, so many compliments, that I am completely FULL. Who needs flowers and candy and jewelry? Not me!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
hugs!
Chris