Good Morning, Morning Bun

Beauty in the day: stopped to get a rare Starbucks this morning. I don’t usually have the time. While I waited for my yummy coffee, I watched a little boy at a table nearby. The early morning sun was coming in the window in a way that lit him gently, and I could make out tiny, soft freckles on his nose and cheeks. He had a cup of hot cocoa, and in a little bag was a morning bun. He slid the bun out, and put his palms flat against the sides, his fingers shooting out straight and stiff. He lifted the bun directly in front of his face, as if to inspect it reverently, the morning sun illuminating the cinnamon sugar crystals, and his eyes traveled over the surface, taking in it’s inviting warmth. He lowered the bun to the napkin, and the took a respectable bite. I’ve had those morning buns, and I have to tell you – he was on point.

morningsatstarbucksaresweet

Mommy in the Pocket – Please.

Beauty in the day: she was pretty upset. She wanted to go potty, but her mommy was nowhere to be found, and at home, potty is something to share with mommy.
We encouraged her. We cajoled her. We tried to meet her halfway. She cried crocodile tears, but mommy didn’t materialize. She’s tiny, but has a BIG presence. At one point, someone was telling her to take deep breaths – and she did this in earnest, arms going up as she inhaled….and going down as she exhaled. She did this several times, and then the final exhale.

….and then the waterworks. Good thing school was just about out. She was going to see her mommy really soon. Kindergarten is a super-exciting experience – but a mommy-in-the-pocket would be the perfect accessory for some.
😉

Now We’re Cooking With Gas

Beauty in the day: he came to the clinic with cracked, bleeding lips.
“I have just the thing!” I told him. Afterwards he asked to call his mom.
“Hi mom. My lip was bleeding, but Ms. Nordstrom put gasoline on it, and it’s better now.”

#msnordstrommakesallthegoodmoves

#isitcalledgasolineordidisayitwrong

Making Sure

Beauty in the day: there were two of them, and they had a pass, which they handed over with an air of importance. “We need to get 10 copies of this.”
“Okay,” I responded dutifully, and held out my hand for the paper.
“We need 10 copies.”
“Okay.”
“10 copies of this math.”
“Okay.” I extended my hand a little further.
“Please make 10 copies of this math.”
“Okay.” I sort of waved my hand a little.
“10 copies for my teacher.”
I tried a different tack.
“I think you need to give me that copy, so I can use it to make the 10 copies.”
This brought me a suspicious gaze. But as I am generally trustworthy, she handed over the paper, albeit slowly.
“My teacher needs 10 of those.”
Yes. 10 was what I had stuck in my mind, so I was relieved that we were still on the same page.
I brought back the copies, giving the original to one girl, and the copies to the other. For a moment it appeared that we might have an equality issue, but Logic won out, and they headed back to class with their mission accomplished.

#10please

Love is All You Need

Beauty in the day: being reminded that everyone has a viewpoint – everyone has a perspective. Today I see many pictures of planes flying into towers; when I see this, I am only saddened by the insidiousness of such an act. I am reminded of the hurt and pain that so many people felt at their incomprehensible loss – nearly 1,200 of them muslims, who were innocent. I am saddened further to think that those people are now reliving the rejection brought on by fear, as they listen to Americans once again treat them as infidels. It should not be. It should never be.
If you are feeling fearful, there is only one thing that can rid you of it:
LOVE.

No Drama

Beauty in the day: the knowledge and conviction that each day has just enough difficulty for me to to be focused on, without being compelled to solve tomorrow’s trauma in advance.
#hesgotthewholeworldinhishands

Working Girls

Beauty in the day: it was another clinic visit for cutie-patootie, who has had a running tab in “I don’t feel good” days. The nurse thought to distract her with an offer of a few pretzels, which she accepted gratefully. As the nurse set about the (apparently) arduous task of laying out a pretzel snack, Little Miss asked her, “I’m not making you work too hard, am I?”
Now, I heard all of you “Awwww” collectively, but a short while later, I offered to give her mom a call, and as I (apparently) arduously dialed the number, she thanked me and asked sweetly, “I’m not making you work too hard, am I?”
We knew we’d been had.

Strategizing for Strategy’s Sake

Beauty in the day: they are 2nd graders. One was in the office to take a “break”, something that is a new development in helping with his success. The other has been known to come and sing for me, particularly tunes he deems as “Spanish-Gaelic”, and also likes a little help with his success.
Singer came in dramatically, dragging his leg behind him and punctuating his steps with groans. Upon arrival, he heaved his gangly little body onto the countertop, the back of his hand grazing his forehead. “I hurt my leg,” he managed, with what was clearly almost his last breath. We went to get an ice pack, which he made use of for at least 45 seconds. He was suddenly back by my side, his upper body strewn out over the desktop again. “I want to know if my idea is going to happen,” he said pointedly.
“Your idea?” I asked, following the obvious prompt.
“Yes. I think I could maybe be Strategy Boy, and maybe there could be Strategy Man, or something.” This was a reference to our principals who dressed up as Unity Man and Virtues Boy a short time ago, which was quite a hit.
Someone came into the office, and the conversation was interrupted. It was at this point that “taking-a-break-boy” approached Spanish-Gaelic Boy with a proposition: “If you change your mind, can I be Strategy Boy?”
“Well, you can be Strategy Man, because you’re taller than me.”
“Well, maybe I could, because I’ve been growing a mustache.”
“I think I might be too. I have some hairs…”

#ilikestrategyboyandstrategyman

Blow Me a Kiss, and That’s Lucky Too

Weed Whacker

Beauty in the day: a very full day at school today. We had a morning awards assembly that started the day off right. Kids were in a good mood, especially knowing that the student body award earned was a “Literacy Picnic,” which meant that lunch would be eaten outside on blankets, followed by reading of books, one student to another. Kids that normally avoided reading were reading happily. Kids were coming to the office to call their parents for blankets. It was a very good day for Literacy! One little guy who sometimes sings Spanish-Gaelic songs (or is it Irish-Gaelic?) returned to class with a long weed clenched in his mouth. “Back in my country” (I think that’s Washington, actually, generally further south in Bellevue – perhaps Woodridge), “we usually put weed in our mouth.”

Well, like I said, it’s Washington. 😉

#4morewakeups