The Pledge of Allegiance

David walked in the other night and it was after 6pm and I was sitting upright with my eyes open.

David:  Wow!  You’re alert!

So. I guess you could say I am getting the hang of being back at school.

Exciting things are happening, such as, our hens are finally laying eggs.

Sadly, I have no blue or green eggs, so that is a bummer and a half.  The dogs probably ate THOSE chickens.

I like to randomly remind you of how weird my life is.  Because so many people strangely seem jealous of this life?  And for why?

So here is something I, Taylor, experienced within the past week.

David was butchering pigs.  I could see him from the window as I was folding laundry, even though I try very hard not to look at such atrocities.  And it might be hard to believe, but David does have hobbies other than butchering animals.  And I have hobbies other than laundry.  But not many.

Anyways.  Chickens are omnivores.  And they are also nasty mean to each other.  David was randomly tossing bits of pig flesh into the chicken yard.  As people do.

One chicken would grab it and proudly race around the yard while all the other chickens would go after her and peck at her for the prized pig flesh.  And it went on and on and on.  And they would fight and beat each other up over a morsel of pig flesh.

So.  Farm Life.

LD put his breakfast in the toaster the other morning and then went out to get the eggs.  When he returned, he had a few poo/feathered covered eggs in his hands and dumped them on the counter.  Because my kids are special and cannot put the eggs in the egg basket.  I was busy and watching him out of the corner of my eye.  He went to open the cabinet to get a plate for his breakfast, and literal FEATHERS were falling from his hands.

Me:  Dude!  Wash your hands!

LD:  Why?

Me:  YOUR HANDS HAVE FEATHERS ON THEM.  AND CHICKEN POOP GERMS.

LD:  But my food is just going to touch my plate and I am going to use a fork and knife?  So my hands won’t touch my food?

And he grew another 1/4 inch and I have to stare up at him and scold him.  He is like a four year old in the body of a grown man.  May the Lord bless me and keep me.

Let’s talk about first grade.

At the beginning of the year, I like to read a book about The Pledge of Allegiance to try and help the kids understand what it is, why we say it, and what those words mean.  Words like, “allegiance” and “indivisible,” and so on and so forth.

Anyways, after I read it, my most hilarious student was all moved and touched.

Student:  Wow, Mrs. M.  I did not know that.  I loved that!

Me:  Well, good.

Student:  I want to say that all the time!  Like every time I see a flag!  That is so special.

Me:  It is.

And now, every time I tell the kids to stand for the pledge, Most Hilarious Student whispers shouts “yes”  and does a fist pump. And his whole day is made.

I am loving being back at school.  I really enjoyed last year at eSchool, but I really missed being with kids and being with my teacher friends.  I have been reuinted with two former partner teachers who I have always been close with.  We call ourselves The Dream Team-

Yet, our administrator only permitted us to teach the same grade level together for one year.  Perhaps, we weren’t as dreamy as we had imagined?

Nevertheless.  It is fun to see them every day.

Let’s call them Tiffany and Erika.

Happy Tuesday!