But I still need some aspirin...and a nap....for SURE a nap.

Mondays suck.

Well, not EVERY Monday. The ones that come carrying my paycheck aren’t too shabby, and every single Monday in the summer kicks ass, and maybe Memorial Day Monday and Labor Day Monday look pretty *@*#^  good, but that’s as far as I go. 

This Monday did an exceptional job of kicking my class.  I started the day pretty exhausted after several exciting road trips to visit Sassy over the weekend.  I couldn’t just go- spend the night- and attend all functions over this celebratory weekend; no, that would have made too much sense.  I had to make it more exciting by driving to and from said events both Saturday and Sunday. (I’m kind of crazy like that.)

And so I went into work feeling as if I had gone several rounds in a boxing ring, and gone down hard.  You know how a tiger senses when its prey is weak and makes its move?  That’s exactly what 19 kindergarteners did today. 

They taunted me for most of the day, and when they finally saw me at my weakest point they went for the jugular.   (Oh sure, the gym teacher participated by canceling our gym class- aka my planning time- and the RAIN cancelled our only chance to get this kids out to RUN…but that’s another conspiracy I’ll work on later…) 

And so by 2:30 this afternoon this teacher was a ticking time bomb ready to explode.  I can’t remember exactly WHO placed the straw on my back, but I had those kids cleaning up and grabbing their stuff to go home in RECORD SPEED.  They sat on the carpet wide-eyed, as I laid into them like NEVER BEFORE. 

“We have RULES IN HERE, and they need to be FOLLOWED.  When I want your attention, I expect to get it the first time I clap.  Also, we have been in school five billion days, and we still don’t SPIT, HIT, PUSH, IGNORE THE TEACHER, blah, blah, blah, blah.”

They were transfixed as I went about my rant.  

Then, because no one REALLY listens to me, I saw Sasha ignore me and start rummaging through her backpack.

“HEY!” She shouted.  “I suregot!  I have a present for you,” she said as she pulled out the most beautiful re-usable water cup- filled with flavored water packs.  Attached to the straw was a lovely thank-you note, claiming I was the best teacher ever.

Um.

The kids cheered as she ran up and handed me the cup.  I gave her a big, big hug and turned to the class.

“Well.   Okay guys, you remember all that yelling and screaming that happened just a second ago?  Scratch that."

And thank you, God, for reminding me how much I love these little tigers.  Even if they DO go in for the kill once in a while; after all, it’s survival of the fittest around here.

And tomorrow, I intend to come out on top.