Hi ho, Hi ho! It's off to work, I go!

After 8 1/2 glorious years of staying home with my kids, it might be nice to make a little money. Technically, I only stay home with the dog at this point since both boys are in school, but that point is neither here nor there. Since I have been unsuccessful at finding a job where I do nothing and make loads of money, I decided to fall back on my degree and apply to be a substitute teacher.

After months of being on the sub list and not subbing, I finally accepted a job today. It was an ideal situation: a half day job for a teacher that I know. I was so excited about it. Caleb was too. He said, "Mom, you are going to make me so famous by subbing at my school!" Glad I could help you out there, son.

I arrived early to make a good impression and because I didn't want them to dock any of my $45 dollars minus taxes that I would be paid for the half day. Seriously, I have paid a sitter more money to watch my kids while I go out on a date with Jeremy. And all I wanted the sitter to do was to keep my kids alive and mostly happy until I got home.

Today, I was in charge of 19 or 20 First graders. I knew that I would need a few tricks up my sleeve so I packed stickers, books, and a cool light up toy that I dubbed my "Happy Ring." Sheer genius, I tell you!

It started well as I managed to get them all in safely from recess and delivered to their afternoon classes. Then, the fun began with the group that I taught in the afternoon. They seemed to multiply as the day went on, and by multiply, I don't mean mathematically. There were so many of them and they all had something to tell me and they needed to tell me all at the same time and they were so cute that I did not have the heart to make them quit. The Happy Ring worked wonders though and I patted myself on the back for such tremendous forethought.

Here are some highlights:

• We played a Bingo review game in which I had to comfort a sweet little girl who had tears welling up in her eyes because she did not make a Bingo.
• I had to go in to the boys' bathroom and flush #2 down the toilet because someone forgot to flush and none of the boys would do it for me. (I flushed using my foot and held my breath the whole time! Looks like all those years of staying home with my kids were preparing me for something.)
• When a substitute teacher tries to change up a 1st grade class' routine, whether intentional or not, it causes them all to simultaneously shout out "That's not the way our teacher does it!"...maybe they are all a teensy weensy bit OCD, but it could just be me...
• Holding a clipboard is all that I really need to feel like a real teacher again!
  

Since it has been a while since I taught, I knew that I might be a little drained by the end of the day. Whoa buddy, I am beat. My dogs are barking, too! I forgot the reason that teachers wear sensible shoes. They walk the equivalent of a marathon in about a day and a half.

One of the horrible side effects of working today happened when I got home and tried to play my Wordscraper games. I was so tired that I missed a 4XWord score, and my archrival, Kristin, scored 70 points off of the word HOG. She couldn't believe that I missed that move and asked if I was just letting her win. Not at all, my dear Kristin. My brain just does not know how to respond to 4 hours of hard labor.

But, at least I am $45 minus taxes richer!!
There you go!