Thank Goodness It's Friday! Urm, Thursday!

This week is one of those week's I can sing the annoying and nasally "Friday" song on a Thursday.  That's because today is my Friday.  I only have kids until 1pm, then a two hour training, then it's buh-bye until next Tuesday.

And that disturbing picture of the cat is exactly how I feel this week.

Since Monday, we've been doing our Mock MAP testing at school - which MAP is what Benchmark testing is called in Missouri.  Our real tests aren't until the beginning of May, so we've been having a dry run with the kiddos this week so that they are aware of the stuff they still need to work on, stuff the teachers still need to work on, and the procedures and protocols of testing.

I think I can safely say that there aren't many teachers out there that enjoy Benchmark testing.  It's stressful for both the kids and the teachers.  But, I can also safely say that it sure is nice to see how much growth your kiddos make after almost an entire school year.  We took a mini Mock Map not long after school started, and it's amazing how far the kids have come since then.

Testing is tiring, though.  For the first half of the day, the kids work in silence while I pace back and forth across the room.  Since Monday, I've probably walked a couple of miles just pacing back and forth and around desks in my classroom.

Usually, when I get a four day weekend, it's the beginning of four days of resting and recharging.  I won't be so lucky this time around.  In fact, there's a good chance I'll go back to work next Tuesday even more tired and worn out than I already am.  Tomorrow I have to take my car in for scheduled maintenance and an oil change, and do some grocery shopping while that's going on.  Then it's back home to begin Spring Cleaning 2013.  That's where I go through all of the junk that's accumulated in my house since last year and toss it.  And because one day is definitely not enough time to take care of it all, I'll be going at it all day on Monday too.

Saturday is Easter at P-Momma's.  Lunch, eggs, and fun is the agenda for the day.  The kids will hunt eggs, we'll all eat lunch, and then the adults will sit around and catch up on our exciting lives while the kiddos play and stuff themselves silly with candy.

Sunday is a repeat, except at my parent's house.  And with twice as many kids.

Once I get back to work on Tuesday, there'll only be 34 days of school left until Summer break.  Throw in a day I'm gone for training and a field trip day in that, and that brings the count down to 32 days that I have left with my kiddos.  Of course, that translates to 8 weeks - which is almost double the time.  But weekends and another four day weekend will make those 8 weeks fly by.  Oh, and let's not forget the entire week of actual MAP testing.

Before I know it, I'll be packing away all my stuff from the year and sobbing over the fact that my first class of kiddos are moving on to 5th grade.

Which reminds me, I got my first ever class picture.  Unfortunately, it's a terrible picture.  It was taken outside on a sunny day, so what is me shielding my eyes from the sun translates to me looking like I'm ticked off and miserable.  Instead of looking delighted to be taking a picture with my beautiful and sweet first class - I look like I'm ready to beat every single one of them.  Not how I want to be remembered or how I want to remember my first year of teaching.  But, it's what I'm stuck with...and I'm sure will make for a good laugh twenty years from now when I'm looking back at it.

Alright, time to contain all my excitement for a little while.... Now I must go and throw on my jeans and a t-shirt and get ready for my Friday.  Urm, Thursday.  Well, you know what I mean.