Why I teach kindergarten and other stuff...

Well, it has been a bit since I last posted. My brain is mush by the time I get home. Between 5pm and 10pm, I have to make some polite conversation with my husband and try to sound awake and interesting. I don't know how I'm making out with that, I'll check with him and let you know.
I don't know how ABC recitation is so exhausting, but let me assure you that it is. Maybe it is the VERY involved reenactments of The Three Little Pigs and all my singing and dancing that is killing me. The kids all seem to be enjoying themselves and they are keeping me laughing and on my toes.
I have a fun little group this year. Yesterday, after I had told the story of The 3 Little Pigs, I wanted to check for comprehension and a little sequencing. This is sometimes hard for 5 year olds as they jump to the most interesting part instead of listening to the question. Case in point, yesterday. So I asked 'What happened at the beginning of the story? What was the first thing that happened?" A little kid answered 'The wolf blew the house down." I prompted them again, "That did happen, but not at the beginning. What was the first thing that happened?" In all seriousness, one of my kids got a really excited look on his face and said "I know, I know." So, I called on him. His response: "FIRST, the sun came up and THEN the wolf blew the house down." He was very satisfied with himself. Since then, I have realized that if he is telling anything that happened, it is very logical for him to begin by announcing that the sun came up. It seems similar in frequency to "It came to pass..." in the scriptures. "The sun came up and... I went to school." "The sun came up and we went to the park." "The sun came up and ...You fill in the blank."
Thursdays are our early release day for staff development and team planning. I had two meetings to attend today, but didn't make either of them. I'm not too broken up about that, but I certainly stayed busy. One of my kids who gets picked up every day, kept telling me that he was supposed to go on the bus. I've learned to never trust 5yr olds for this sort of information because more often than not 'My mom wants me to go home on the bus,' almost always means 'Man, I see my friends riding the bus, so I think I wanna try.' Well, unfortunately this kid actually meant that he was supposed to be on the bus and by the time I reached his mom, the bus had left.
Then another one of my students was lost and the police got involved and it only ended with me sobbing in the office imagining my little new student wandering a neighborhood scared and alone. Even after she was located, I had staff members checking in on me the rest of the afternoon to make sure that I was emotionally stable. I hadn't been introduced to many of them yet, but I think that was an appropriate way to get to know me. Comfort me while I'm crying!
I wish that I could upload pictures of my cuties or little video clips of them. They are hilarious. I had a kid who was practically playing Twister on the carpet today. The only problem is that the carpet was full of other children who were not as willing to put their right hand on the green spot, etc. I got on the carpet and imitated the Twister display and the kids couldn't stop laughing. I think they missed the point. I can imagine what they are telling their parents tonight. :) Gotta love kindergarten.
Another highlight: I made 3 children cry because I didn't give them stickers. It was kind of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth crying. Hmm...I don't think I like stickers anymore.
Well, folks that is a little update on my life.
Oh, and I was in Wal-Mart the other day and heard over the speakers "Step By Step" by New Kids on the Block. Beautiful moment. I thought immediately of all the people I should call, but then I realized that almost every building in this town is a cell phone death zone. So, I just walked around Wal-Mart with a goofy grin on my face.
Hope you guys are doing well. I am now up 40 minutes past my new bed time, so, I'm off.