SOL 9: Wrong Side of the Bed

This morning, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I was grumpy, my chronic back pain was in full force, I had a headache, and I couldn't even get up with enough time to shower. On the weekends, my family tends to stay up late watching movies, television, or playing games. It can get pretty bad on a regular weekend, but give us an extended weekend or longer (like Winter Break or Spring Break) and we are complete rubbish when it comes time to go back to school.Although it was a regular weekend, this weekend had the lost hour due to Daylight Savings time thrown in. Last night we went to bed really late. My husband and I were up late talking about the upcoming sale of our house (as was the subject of a previous SOL).

When I woke up this morning I knew it was going to be a rough start from the grit in my eyes. I just could not get them to stay open. I quickly dressed, made sure the older boys were up and getting ready, then I headed out the door. I'm not a coffee drinker in the morning, I am a Diet Coke drinker. I made sure that I had time to run through McDonald's drive-thru (arguably the BEST fountain Diet Coke on the planet!) on my way to school.

I dreaded the rest of the day because I was afraid that my crankiness would carry through and affect my day with my students. I was pleasantly surprised when everyone came in ready to work. The lights were off, the colorful floor lamps were on, the classical music was wafting through the classroom. As students set to work, they told me about their weekend, asked about mine (yes, these are first graders), and carried about their work without too much distraction. I found myself emerging from my cloud of grump and thought that I might just make it through my day. I was extra grateful when I realized that I had no meetings to go to after school, I could just straighten up the room and get it set out for tomorrow.

The final life preserver was thrown to me by a parent shortly before the tardy bell rang. Every day her student has fresh baked chocolate chip cookies from McDonald's as part of her lunch. I joke with her, "Well, if you are going to go through McDonald's every day for cookies, the least you could do is bring me a Diet Coke!" She gives a little laugh and carries on with her cookies. Today, on this day of all days, she did. I look up and there is R, and her mom is walking into the classroom with a Diet Coke for me. With that little extra boost, I knew I could make it through my day.

P.S. When I got home, I chatted with my husband for a few minutes then took a 2-hour nap before dinner. It was glorious.