Surviving kindergarten.

So it may surprise some of you, but young children are not really my thing. Yes, I know I have lots of them, and yes, I try my best to soak them up and have fun with them. But beyond my own kids, I'm not really all that great. So having to spend the day in kindergarten today was actually a big deal for me. I have the utmost respect for people who have the patience to work in jobs that require ongoing interactions with young children. Hats off to teachers, coaches, therapists, doctors, librarians, day care workers, YMCA staff and all the other people out there working with kids.

I have lots of reasons behind my "young kids are not my thing", but mostly I think I am selfish. Kids are demanding and take lots of patience, as I said. I think that's why God has given me so many kids...it's one way to force me to work on the characteristics I have that need "pruning and refining". I think maybe it's working a bit, because I actually enjoyed some of my time in the classroom today.

Here's my favorite story. I just couldn't resist recounting this "totally kindergarten moment" with you. {Even in leaving out the names I think it is still very funny.} The teacher was working with the whole class on their phonics lesson. They are learning the vowel sounds first. So there was a review of the letters 'i', 'u' and 'e', and then the letter 'a' was introduced today. The children repeat the letter and say the sound it makes several times. We said {loudly....kindergartners LOVE to do phonics loudly...it's actually cute to listen to the sing-song rhythm of their little, excited voices} "E says 'eh' as in elephant....e says eh eh eh". When it came time for 'a', the teacher practiced it a few times and held up cards with the letter a on it. Then she asked the kids for words that start with 'a' and make the "ahh" sound. One child said "Ah like in my name Alexandra" and another kid said "Ah like apple". Then the room got quiet for a few seconds until one little boy's hand popped up as high as he could reach. (He was sitting just in front of the teacher, so she called on him right away.) He said, "I know! A says 'ah, ah ah'- Jellyfish!!"

My stomach almost hurt from holding my laugh back. (This is where I would fail as a teacher and also where I have deep respect for teachers at the same time.) Without missing a beat the teacher said, "Let's see...'ah, ah, ah'... jellyfish. Say jellyfish". All the kids said "jellyfish". She repeated, "juh, juh, jellyfish...A says 'ah, ah, ah'." She looked right at the boy who had just said jellyfish and he was almost jumping out of his seat when he exclaimed, "So I was right then, huh!" I'm quite sure I laughed outloud, and even the teacher looked over at me with a little snicker and smile.

Let's just say it was quite a memorable phonics lesson...and I sure hope that I get the chance to tell this boy's parents just how cute their son was in class. While in kindergarten I took the liberty of taking a few pictures in class of my own girls. I couldn't help but sit at the little tables and think that this moment- this day- is something I will think back on and wish I could get back for just a little longer not too many years from now. It's like I close my eyes and pretend that this is my past and then I savor it even more. Realizing the present moment is here for me to cherish is really an amazing thing. No matter how routine the schedule may be. These little things- days at school; learning and growing and having fun; doing life together are the things my heart is gonna wish I could get back. So I was actually really grateful that I had this day. Even if young kids aren't really my best thing. I think I learned a thing or two. (And I'm not just talking phonics here.)

Brock met up with us in the hallway on the way out of school...wearing a rainbow clown wig. I've never really liked clowns either...you know, scary movies and weird people in clownsuits come to mind when I think of clowns. But this was funny to me. Or maybe I was just happy to be done with class by that time of the day. =) Either way, he was all smiles. He was loving life in his rainbow, curly hair. He wore it home. He wore it and made funny faces for his sisters. He let me take some pictures and then he had me try it on too. Then he wanted to see a picture of me in it...so we snapped one looking into a really spattered mirror.

Later on, he wore it to McDonalds. (Yes...we had DINNER at McDonalds! I think I broke 3 of my own rules doing that tonight, but hey...I was exhausted from a day in kindergarten! What do you expect?!) I'm sure some of the employees and customers thought we were all crazy even though he was the only one in a clown wig. It made it all the more funny to him...and to me. So, if you were in this place and had to see me and my kids, I apologize for all the fun we were having eating our Happy Meals and actually being happy. =)

Now on to more serious, quite possibly, controversial things. Brock got that wig at school as part of his magazine drive. Our school holds a magazine fundraiser each year, and we have a couple of weeks left to collect orders. Last year when I posted I recall that there were a few 'anonymous' comments from readers who felt I had 'crossed the line'. I really didn't know that there was such a line in blogging...really I see my blog as my thing and the place to share my life and stories and pictures and insights and whatever else it is I post from time to time. So, at the risk of offending people in regards to some invisible line, I am inviting you- only if you want to- to email me about magazines. Our school has a number and I will send you that and the link to the website for you to browse books, magazines and music to order. Each order helps to support the school with 40% of the total purchase. I know some of you enjoyed browsing the magazine titles, and some of them are better deals than most of the subscription offers out there. For example, you can get 22 issues (2 years) of Cooking Light magazine for $20.00. Martha Stewart Living is 12 issues for $25.00 and Blueprint is just $15 for 6 issues. Simple Scrapbooks is $20 for 6 issues (one year) and Creating Keepsakes magazine is $22.00 for 12 issues. Did I mention the funky Domino magazine is on special at $15.00 for 12 issues...or that Everyday with Rachael Ray is $18.00 for 10 issues? Oh. Right. I forget that I am not trying to offend anyone...I'm just throwing it out there for anyone who is looking to subscribe to anything or has a magazine they could renew through this project.

I truly mean no harm, and really in the end it is mostly just a fun way to raise funds for our school and for my kids to get cheesy prizes that totally make their days. Or weeks. I have a feeling this wig is going to be around for awhile! So, my point here isn't to cram some hard-sell offer down your throat, but to say, "Hey! If you're interested, email me and I'll hook you up with a link". You don't even have to make a purchase....you are welcome to just browse the deals. And to my fashionista friends who are magazine-inspiration happy, I'll post at SIS for you. But you can still email me to say hello. {nitty.grittyjody@yahoo.com }

Don't be surprised if you don't hear from me all weekend. I have a feeling that's how long it's going to take me to recover from my day at kindergarten. =)