[10,000 stones]

10,000 stones are hanging
deep in my heart
no i don't know how they
don't tear me apart
how could i ever believe
10,000 stones would build
the best of me

-adrianne


[a long december]


i can't even handle the torrent of emotions thrust upon me today.
day one of my new classroom: i spent only a half day with them, and i've already learned all of their names, and have even managed to fall in love with several tiny, overwhelmingly ADHD, cuttingly insightful children. we got to talk about the causes of electricity and world war two. "so you're telling me we won world war two by cheating?!" direct quote. there's also a third grader reading the twilight series. THEY READ! WILLINGLY! score. i'm in LOVE. this will be a semester to remember, to be sure.
this afternoon found me back in the resource room with each and every one of my babies, scarfing down cheesy bread and watching august rush. they bombarded me with hugs and unconditional love and gifts, among them a beautiful norwegian fur tree (they wanted to give me something that would give back to the environment!) with handmade decorations and a gorgeous compilation of handwritten farewell letters and pictures of my shenanigans with the kids in the classroom. bawling. i can't even describe how overwhelmed i was. obviously, not overwhelmed enough to pass up a photoshoot with my babies, but still, absolutely floored. they've had this one in the works for a while, from the looks of it. so impressed.
what i'm trying to say, in short, is that i feel loved. and i love them right back.
joy.
now the night finds me indulging in an NCIS marathon next to balloons, various teaching ornaments of the A+ variety, and a half eaten sheetcake which once bore the words "We Will Miss You, Miss Jam Nik". apparently my first name is now jam. sounds good to me.

peace all.