But it's the perfect title for my post today. Because I have seriously had to learn that mistakes are okay.
Before August rolled around, I kept things pretty perfect. Classroom was clean everyday when I left, papers were graded and ready to be sent home faster than necessary, my apartment was clean, and life was just wrapped in a perfect little box. Then my 5th year of teaching rolled around...
I'm not going to say that I'm making mistakes all the time, but I have realized that I have GOT to stop putting myself down when things don't go 100% according to planned. My classroom is no longer immaculate. Last year this fact would have made me stay up until 2 am stressing out about it. But now I've realized there are more important things to worry about besides the fact that the top paper on the stack is a little crooked. I'm not saying that my room is a pig sty (I'm not really for that life yet), but I'm learning to let my perfectionism go just a little bit. Anyone who knows me, also knows how much of a competitor I can be. I didn't even win the first spirit day this year. In the past, that competition would have been MINE. But there are just more important things.
I'm sure wedding planning has a little something to do with my "whatever" attitude. I was h.e.a.r.t.b.r.o.k.e.n. when I learned that the DJ I wanted wasn't available. But I decided instead of freaking out and calling my mom and whining to Mikel, I would just have to continue my search. Stuff like that doesn't even matter anymore- especially after realizing how precious life is and what a short amount of time we have to all be together. I'm just not gonna stress about those little things anymore. (but I will always be a stickler for getting kids to pick up those pesky glue stick caps!)
And just to demonstrate my "Whatever" attitute, here's some of my "fails" this week:
1. I hate laundry. I wait until I have nothing that matches before I do laundry (which is why I have so many clothes). Last night I washed alllll of my clothes. Only to find out that something sticky/powerdy/white had gotten all over the clothes. Yep, I had left a pack of Smarties in my pants. Take it from me, don't do that. It's terrible. Being up at 10pm, sorting your Smarty-covered clothes from the ones that kind of survived, is not fun.
2. I'm going to be a terrible mother. Most of you know that I am obsessed with my dog. Now I'm a mother to two dogs (Lucky is my family now). I've spent the past few days working on painting an R on a pumpkin. I got a stencil, cut out the stencil, taped it perfectly to my pumpkin, and then painted it. Only to find out that it completely scraped off after it dried. So I was at it again- this time with a paint pen and free handed (since apparently my perfectionism didn't work the first time). I put it in the office to dry. Around 9 o'clock last night I called for Cooper and couldn't find him. He came walking out of the office licking his lips. I joked to Mikel and said "What's he been doing, licking that pumpkin?" Yep. He was. He licked off a chunk of the paint and of course the paint pen said "toxic if swallowed." I immediately googled "who to make a dog throw up." A website (that I will never use again) said to mix a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide with honey and make the dog eat it. I put the bowl down and Cooper loved it so much that he stood around for seconds. Almost a day later, he still has not thrown up. He's doing fine so I'm guessing everything is okay. Please don't let me craft around my future ginger babies.
I'm off to look up adjective lessons for next week. I've been in Columbia for training the past two days and I'm ready to get back to my team and my kiddos. But first I'll leave you with this:
I guess old habits die hard....
No comments:
Post a Comment