Workin' for the Weekend

These days, I feel like I am doing just that...I try to tell myself, "Don't wish your life away," but with every new Monday, I find myself trying to push through and make it until Friday. Here lately, I keep repeating over and over again in my mind, "Christmas break, Christmas Break, Christmas break..."

This semester has been a challenge, to say the least. Don't get me wrong, I love my school, and I adore all of my co-workers, but I have never felt so stressed out and physically exhausted in all my life. There has been a lot going on in and out of school, which has me turning gray before my time. Steven and I spent afternoons looking at house after house, until we finally found the right one. For the past month and a half, we have been slowly but surely putting things away, and making this house feel more like a home. It has been fun, but draining, and I think it had started to affect my attitude--a lot.

For one thing, it wasn't easy leaving the comfort and security that I felt at Opelika High. While there, I developed friendships that were so deep. During my first year, Kirstin, Summer, Bryan, and I were inseperable. We would sit in my room during planning and just talk, laugh, and share about our lives, our students, and ourselves. (Maybe that's why I always had to stay late that year). They became my family during my time at OHS. Every time I think about them, I smile and remember all the great talks, laughs, and rants we shared.

I'm not gonna lie, it's been a little tough learning the ropes at the new school, but I am beginning to feel more and more at home. My co-workers at West Craven High have taken me in, and make me feel so welcome. I find myself looking forward to lunch every day because I get to share a laugh with some of the most down-to-earth and funniest women I have ever met.

With all the different things going on these days, I had started to lose sight of the reason that I chose teaching. Last week, I hit a brick wall. I felt like I had been grading research papers every night for a month (which is actually correct) because I told the students I would allow them to revise their papers before I gave them their final grade. I was exhausted, and to be honest, I was tired of teaching, reading, grading, talking, explaining...you name it, I was tired of it. And then, yesterday, something happened that put a smile on my face and made me literally tear up while sitting behind my desk. As the bell rang, and the students filed out of the classroom, a student who started the semester out with a bad attitude, who didn't try at all, and who frankly seemed to care less, came up to my podium with a Christmas card in his hand.

(Quick backstory: About a month into the semester, I sat this kid down, and we had a heart to heart. I asked him why he didn't seem to care about my class. He explained that he didn't think he was smart enough to pass, so he didn't think there was any point in trying. He went on the say that his mom worked two jobs just to keep food on the table, and that he had been thinking about quitting school to help out with money. From that moment on, I tried to make it a point to encourage him in some way every day. And slowly but surely, he started doing his work and even stayed after school for extra help. By the end of the first nine weeks, he had a 90 average, and had quickly became one of my favorite students.)

As he handed me the card, he sheepishly said, "Thanks, Mrs. Meadows, for everything," and walked out. I went over, sat down in my desk, and opened the card. On the inside he had written, "Thank you for believing in me, Mrs. Meadows. You may be the first person who ever has. Have a great Christmas."

I literally choked up. That is why I teach. That is why I grade, explain, answer questions, read, listen, and answer the same question again. It is for one moment like that...one moment that I feel like I impacted someone. That card meant to world to me, and it has made this tough semester seem like a joy.

xoxo,
Ashley