I am SO old.

Today, I walked my 8th grade class down to the cafeteria for a presentation on JROTC at Middletown High School. My first year teaching, I taught MHS and had some pretty incredible students. My sophomores graduated this year and they are all so grown up.
As I brought my lovelies into the cafeteria, I looked to my right and saw a young man. This young man's name is Ryan. He was an awkward sophomore when he walked into my classroom on day one of his high school career. He is now graduating with scholarship to University of Alabama and plans to join the United States Army after college with long term plans to attend law school.
I can not tell you how proud am to say I taught this young man. I can NOT believe how fast time flies, especially in terms of kids. These boys become men and these girls become women. It's so incredible to see them blossom, fail, thrive, persevere through all that adolescence has to throw at them. We all go through it and we all survive. Some come out with a greater understanding, some come out more unraveled than before. In the end, we are all children. I am reminded of this every day I walk in my classroom. The shit they say is incredible, the shit they do is unimaginable but they are so wonderfully children. They laugh at farts, they cry about boys, they make fun of each other using rudimentary jabs, they run outside and still find stickers AWESOME. The point is, we need to remember where we come from and things we went through as children. It could help us understand our own.

7th Grade Night of the Notables
(I was Gene Kelly. Why? He's a badass.)

Drill Team. Check out our hooker make-up.

And this is Kim, Mare and myself being WILD AND FREE in France during college. Best 4 month of my life. Just wanted to share this moment.

Always remember, some have not experienced what you have and have not learned the lessons you have. Be patient because one way or another they will learn.