road trips...

field trips...

headaches...

laughter...

lasting memories =)

My arms hurt from driving because the alignment in the van is off and I have to grip the steering wheel for hours in order to keep us on the road. But the girls are giggling and shrieking in the back - obviously sharing secrets about boys. Adrienne and I decide that that topic crosses all age groups, all generation, all cultures... So we just grin and go along with it - we were there once too, maybe still are in our heart of hearts.

But the scenery, the laughter, the music - it all takes me back - takes me back to some of the best memories I have of high school. I loved road trips. We painted nails, we did each others hair, we lost sleep, we ate junk food, we cuddled, we were totally inappropriate too... =) and it was awesome. Some things are not appropriate, but some things you just have to smile and let fly - it's part of the experience, it's part of growing up.

My phone is ringing as I drive across town with another van full of students on our field trip to JoAnn's. I've left Hannah behind... she's in the office... I feel horrible - I'm pretty positive I counted her when I took attendance =/ 11 students are roaming the fabric store, I'm craving Fabric Depot - oh what I would give to take my students on a field trip to Oregon to go to the largest fabric store I could ever imagine... (oh the silly things that get me excited!!) On our drive home Alora is calling KGOT - can you please play Taylor Swift?! And to my amazement they do and we're all singing along.

And it's in these silly moments that I remember teaching is so much more than the material we cover in the classroom. It's all about the students, it'll always be about the relationships - without those no learning will take place. OH my word... a student just brought me HUGE cookies... Yes, sometimes this job makes me cry but the good will always outweigh the bad, always =)