Just a Little Bit of Catch-up Blogging

Ok, so I know I look like a total slacker for not blogging regularly the past few weeks, but I can honestly say that I have not had the time.  I'm blogging today on my prep period from school, because for some glorious reason, Central Office, in their infinite wisdom, has decided not to block blogspot at school.  Thanks for helping me out there, guys :)  Anyway, I've spent the past week having students give me a hard time about not blogging.  One student, in particular, has brought it up everyday for the past five days as soon as he walks into class.

"Ms. Herring, where is your blog?!"
"Ms. Herring, you haven't updated in forever!"
"Ms. Herring, you LIED.  I checked last night, and you did NOT blog."

Well ok, fine, here it is.  I'm not making excuses.  LOTS of blog-worthy things have happened over the past few weeks.  Here's a few.....

1. I dressed up as the witches from Wicked/The Wizard of OZ with my mentor teacher to celebrate Halloween/Spirit Week, which involved me wearing a prom dress all day while I taught.  Check out Facebook for some pretty excellent photos.
2. I found out that 7th grade boys really do make inappropriate comments in the hall about young student teachers and said student teacher's decision to wear skinny jeans with boots to school on Friday. NEVER AGAIN.
3. I mentioned that I was cold one day in class, to which 6th period giftgiver responded, "I could give you a hug to warm you up Ms. Herring." (I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried...)
4. I set up a private social network for my students, taught them to blog, and graded 142 of the blogs I taught them to write.
5. I presented their blogs at a curriculum conference, which was an exhausting and stressful, yet rewarding experience.
6. And finally, I realized I only have four weeks left at the middle school.

Four weeks.  I feel so many emotions when I think about that short amount of time.  Am I completely and utterly drained and exhausted?  YES.  Am I ready for a job where I get paid to work all day?  Most definitely.  But will I miss the funny things that happen everyday and the kids I feel like I've grown to know so well?  Very, very much so.  These kids have taught me so much, but more than that, they've given me so much to aspire to as a teacher.  I want every student I teach to be as special as the kids I have come to know this semester.  I feel like I have built relationships with my students based on trust.  They've shared their favorite football teams and music with me.  They've given me countless silly bands.  They've told me their secrets, and they've even shared their crushes and daily crises and victories with me.  Those things are what make me LOVE this job, and they are the things that will make it SO impossible to leave in December. 

But four weeks is still four weeks.  All the major assignments are almost complete.  So I promise to blog as much as humanly possible-- to document the little bit of time I have left to gain some wisdom from the middle.  For today, the wisdom is this: Savor every last minute of an experience.  Bask in the knowledge that the memories you make are yours forever.  I feel like I haven't wasted a single minute of my time here, and I want to continue to glory in all those little moments and snatches of talk, not just at the middle school, but in every aspect of life.  It's those tiny pieces of time that I know I'll look back on and love even more with the passage of time.  So, expect me to be more punctual in my blogging efforts.  I've got lots of last moments to savor.