I am still alive....really....I am...

You. Guys.

The Tired Supergirl blog has been dark for almost two months.

Because....teaching.

I am officially an 8th grade Lit & Writing teacher with a desk and mail slot
with my name on it.

I would be lying to say that the transition for me or my family has been
without some bumps along the way.
(By bumps, I mean mountain ranges of change to be traversed.)
In fact, I am just going to say, in advance,
that this will be a YEAR LONG TRANSITION.

I haven't even had to face my first field trip or go to speech meet.
There are many hurdles to jump in the coming year....a lot of stretching ahead.

But I will say this....
I am thinking give me a year or two and I am going to love this gig.
Because first of all, I love kids and I love books and I love writing.
And I love to laugh. And teaching involves all of the above.
So there you go.

Secondly, I never realized that teaching was kind of like being a mom...
except with grades. There is a certain amount of sadness that has filled me
when I realize that with each assignment I give my students...
I am also giving myself an assignment to grade.

I was talking to my friend, Crystal, who teaches 7th grade,
and I said, "Ummm...so the grading...it never ends!"
And she said, "Yes....just like laundry."

LAUNDRY! MY ARCH NEMESIS FOR LO THESE MANY YEARS!
That brought me down, folks.

There have been a few awkward teaching moments...
like the one where a student informed me that my pants were unzipped mid-sentence...
followed by the one where a student informed me that I had food in my teeth...
mid-sentence.

But I just let them know, "You guys, this is not the last awkward thing that will happen
this year.  Awkward is my specialty."

I also told them, "Hey, anyone who has back and helps me in those awkward moments
will be rewarded."
I am not above bribery.

I think they might be looking forward to those times.

But there are these moments when I see a student's eyes light up with understanding
and I think, "This is so cool!"

Even more cool? I am learning new things like crazy.
My brain might explode because there is SO MUCH I don't know about teaching.

 I asked the kids,
"Did you know that your teachers study every night just like you?
They looked at me in confusion.
"Who here thinks that we sit on the couch and eat bonbons every night?"
Most of the kids raised their hands.
Bonbons would definitely be preferable to grading...that is for sure.

The added bonus of my new career path is that my boys come
and pop their head in the door and say, "Hi, Mom!"
God has given me a job where I get to actually see my kids, their joy, their friends,
and their journey.

Could I ask for anything more?
Nope. I couldn't.

This wasn't the journey I had planned for myself...for sure.
My friend, Jane, said that my next book should be titled, The Accidental Teacher.
It has a nice ring to it.

I will keep you posted on how it is going...
after I finish grading things....maybe check back in in June.