Highs and Lows of the first day of school.

Today was my first official day back at work.
Great to see my wonderful coworkers again.
I have missed them - even if they laugh when I trip while walking.  Giving a side-eye to my teammate whom shall remain nameless.  L.e.e.

There were some high points and low points of the day.

Highs:

• Got to spend time with my long-lost teacher friends.  They get me.  And I love that.
• I laughed a lot.  Because my teammates are hilarious.  And full of vinegar.
• Free lunch, thank you.
• I choked up to cry about 3 or 4 times.  I didn't though.  I'm glad too- because I was sporting my version of my Sephora make-over and I'm glad I didn't ruin all that hard work.  (New things are hard--whenever I see people for the first time, do something for the first time after all of this has happened, I struggle.  After the "firsts" are done, I am good.  There's just something about new things that just make the tears come.)
• A wonderful, thoughtful, amazing mother of a past student dropped off a gift in my room.  She knows how much I love our local coffee shop.  She also knows I need to eat more of her delicious snickerdoodle cookies.  And she knows how much I love to go to Target. And she knows that her son is an amazing boy and he possibly could be a favorite.  Thank you, Beth.  Your gifts are great.  But, your thoughtfulness is even greater.  There's a reason your son is the way he is.  Good kids with good hearts don't just happen.

Perfect for Vikings football season.

My dinner.

Lows:

• Praying that the wireless and the projectors for our computers work on the first day of school. It didn't work today.  It's not looking promising and that makes me a bit nervous since I wanted to use all that on the first day.  But, I am not complaining.  We have a great tech guy who works really, really hard and is doing the best he can.  And his kid is super cute and smiley, too. I'm hoping he reads this. And knows that I am kissing up, but am sincere too. 
• We had to go through and talk about the highlight of the summer.  Barf.  
• What I wanted to say, "My wonderful daughter was born.  She is a month old and the most precious thing I've ever seen.  She isn't really sleeping and she cries in the middle of the night and she has disgusting diapers.  But, she is healthy and perfect and the answer to our prayers. And I love her with all my heart."  
• What I could have said, "My summer sucked a**.  Instead of meeting and hugging my daughter, I tried to keep myself busy so that I wouldn't think about the fact that she was taken from us way too early.  I tried to ignore all of the babies being born and, instead, I started going back to the fertility clinic where they told me I have a defective body and I need to get it fixed with surgery.  And I visited my daughter's grave. She was the answer to my prayers. And I still love her with all my heart even if I never got to hug her while she was still living."
• Instead, I said, "I spend a lot of time with family--my wonderful sister and her kids visited and we had a family reunion." Awesome.  That's beauty-pageant-interview-question-answer-quality right there.  Watch out, Miss Teen USA 2007.  I'm on your tail for mind-shattering answers.

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And, at some point I want to update you on Cooper and his parents.  Remember him?  He is the fattiest, cutiest baby now.  He is a ball of cuteness and chubbers and rolls.  And,  he is going to be the total package as soon as he can swagger around to the ladies.  Also, if he gets 1/2 of the thoughtfulness, niceness, wonderful genes that his parents have, he'll be a catch.  Seriously, folks...there aren't too many people in the world as wonderful as his 'rents.  They just seem to know when I need a pick-me-up and I feel so incredibly blessed to have friends like them.   They fill my heart with good things.

Signing off,

Loopy Waffle Buns

(We teachers are easily amused. Go to this site to find out how you can figure out your Captain Underpants name!).