Finally got the eye infections under control–it helps when you have the right medications. Which the first drops weren’t, because hey, why not make this bout an allergic conjunctivitis just because.

Thankfully, the trip to the ophthalmologist and his second-line-of-defense corticosteroid drops worked, and I got to go back to school after three days away.

School was not a piece of cake this week, despite it including teacher appreciation day (staff is feeling so not appreciated in several ways) and today was the icing on the cake.

Was there a full moon I missed? A memo? Hormonal growth spurts?

The entire day was awash in tears for one thing or another: temper outbursts (times four or five, I lost count, same child), frustration outbursts from two more, spontaneous tears when one child suddenly remembered her mother on a fieldtrip with her sibling and SHE WANTED HER RIGHT THAT SECOND, plus the usual tears for skinned knees, hurt feelings, and whatever else.

It was a miracle that I did not turn to the weepy side with everyone else. This has been on repeat since I got home.

But to save the day from complete disaster, one of my students finally wrote his first sentence completely independently. “i lik to pla”

(Yes, I had to prompt him to capitalize the I and add a period–they’re taking a writing assessment next week–but you have no idea how thrilled and happy I am. It was legible and he even spaced correctly!)

Meanwhile, I am counting the seconds until total darkness when I can go to bed. Five more minutes.