This was absolutely a difficult week.... I got cross-ways with someone I respect, dealt with an irritated parent - who I then became irritated with because they believed the HALF-TRUTH their sweet darling spouted and didn't give me the benefit of the doubt I'm used to because I LOVE MY STUDENTS AND WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING INTENTIONALLY TO HARM THEM AND YOU DON"T KNOW THAT AFTER ME TEACHING AND LOVING YOUR CHILD FOR ALL THESE YEARS???? Breathe, Fitchie..... I was sweating underneath a marketing deadline, a yearbook deadline, a curriculum map deadline AND a competition in the next few days. I had a migraine like I haven't had in almost 10 years hit me on the last day of this dastardly week AND that last day happened to be April Fool's Day. This was my Facebook post the night before...
"So, I was just messaging with a sweet friend about what a HORRIFICALLY CRUMMY day it was today and she reminded me that tomorrow is April Fool's Day. Wow, I am so very thrilled and excited at the possibility of encountering some dip wad who thinks making people mad and scared is a good time." - I was in SUCH a good mood....
Then, I managed to make a $63 error in our checkbook which is probably no big deal to some folk, but let's be real, people - I am a TEACHER. I have NO money. On top of that, we have a major inspection coming from our accrediting body on Monday and everyone is on edge... Majorly, majorly on edge.....
The final straw came when a nasty virus attacked our school's server and we thought for a few hours that my computer / email was the culprit - which meant my computer was immediately YANKED (appropriately so) by our tech director. After I handed over the machine that held EVERYTHING school-related I've compiled over 6 years of employment, I walked down the hall with tears brimming and a look on my face that told the world I was NOT okay.... Very, very NOT okay....
That's when it happened.... Man, you were hoping there was a point to all this whining, weren't you?
I saw two of the dearest teaching companions I have and am also blessed to call them friends... They took one look at my face and HALTED - I mean, like seriously halted - one of them still had a mixture of shaving cream and finger paint on her hands from the preschool project! Anyway, they stopped what they were doing and said, "What's wrong, Nell?" I just verbally vomited all over them. I was shaking, thought I was gonna be sick and trying not to bawl. I managed to get out a request for one of them to send an email to the yearbook adviser that there was NO way I was gonna make the deadline and explained the situation. Both of their faces reflected the complete horror I was feeling and they started with appropriate phrases like - "Oh my gosh...", "What can I do?".... "Oh, Nell"... My email-sending friend immediately said she would take care of the yearbook thing and for me to not worry about it. I also asked them both to PRAY that it would all work out. They, of course, nodded and said yes and one of them stopped abruptly and said, "You know what, let's just pray right now."
Then, she slipped her sweet arm around my shoulders and bowed her head. My eyes teared up again listening to her ask the Lord to calm my spirit and give me strength, my other sweet friend reached up and grabbed my hand and held on tight as we heard words of comfort and love being poured out before our Heavenly Father.... And it happened.... I was calm. All of a sudden, I was breathing deep.... I was still concerned and still understood the gravity of the situation, but just like someone snapped a finger - the panic left and was replaced by clarity and determination. I hugged them both and turned to leave, looked down the hall and saw another dear friend with a knowing smile on her face because she's had those "prayer in the hall" moments too.
Now, my situation didn't change on a dime.... Still had to deal with all the deadlines, balance the checkbook and make do with a pen and paper, but I did it.... A prayer in the hall.... That's all it took, y'all. ;o)
"So, I was just messaging with a sweet friend about what a HORRIFICALLY CRUMMY day it was today and she reminded me that tomorrow is April Fool's Day. Wow, I am so very thrilled and excited at the possibility of encountering some dip wad who thinks making people mad and scared is a good time." - I was in SUCH a good mood....
Then, I managed to make a $63 error in our checkbook which is probably no big deal to some folk, but let's be real, people - I am a TEACHER. I have NO money. On top of that, we have a major inspection coming from our accrediting body on Monday and everyone is on edge... Majorly, majorly on edge.....
The final straw came when a nasty virus attacked our school's server and we thought for a few hours that my computer / email was the culprit - which meant my computer was immediately YANKED (appropriately so) by our tech director. After I handed over the machine that held EVERYTHING school-related I've compiled over 6 years of employment, I walked down the hall with tears brimming and a look on my face that told the world I was NOT okay.... Very, very NOT okay....
That's when it happened.... Man, you were hoping there was a point to all this whining, weren't you?
I saw two of the dearest teaching companions I have and am also blessed to call them friends... They took one look at my face and HALTED - I mean, like seriously halted - one of them still had a mixture of shaving cream and finger paint on her hands from the preschool project! Anyway, they stopped what they were doing and said, "What's wrong, Nell?" I just verbally vomited all over them. I was shaking, thought I was gonna be sick and trying not to bawl. I managed to get out a request for one of them to send an email to the yearbook adviser that there was NO way I was gonna make the deadline and explained the situation. Both of their faces reflected the complete horror I was feeling and they started with appropriate phrases like - "Oh my gosh...", "What can I do?".... "Oh, Nell"... My email-sending friend immediately said she would take care of the yearbook thing and for me to not worry about it. I also asked them both to PRAY that it would all work out. They, of course, nodded and said yes and one of them stopped abruptly and said, "You know what, let's just pray right now."
Then, she slipped her sweet arm around my shoulders and bowed her head. My eyes teared up again listening to her ask the Lord to calm my spirit and give me strength, my other sweet friend reached up and grabbed my hand and held on tight as we heard words of comfort and love being poured out before our Heavenly Father.... And it happened.... I was calm. All of a sudden, I was breathing deep.... I was still concerned and still understood the gravity of the situation, but just like someone snapped a finger - the panic left and was replaced by clarity and determination. I hugged them both and turned to leave, looked down the hall and saw another dear friend with a knowing smile on her face because she's had those "prayer in the hall" moments too.
Now, my situation didn't change on a dime.... Still had to deal with all the deadlines, balance the checkbook and make do with a pen and paper, but I did it.... A prayer in the hall.... That's all it took, y'all. ;o)