Friday, February 8, 2013

Birthday Eve Party

I'm not gonna lie, when I first realized my birthday would be on the weekend I was kind of sad because getting to celebrate with my students is so much fun. Last year a group of five 8th grade girls decorated my room and made me feel so loved. Little did I know that having a birthday on a Saturday wouldn't stop my kids from celebrating my day. When I walked into my dark classroom this morning I walked into a wall of purple streamers before turning on the lights. Then these six girls jumped out from behind my desk and yelled surprise.


My room was turned into a party. Streamers and balloons, birthday signs and birthday letters, cards and gifts and so much whimsy.


Caitlin came right to my room when she got off the bus with a plate of cookies and more fun surprises-- a potholder jump rope that I can use as garland in my room and the coolest glitter and sequin birthday banner.



Lucy gave me a new friendship bracelet key chain, doesn't it look so good? Maddy brought me a bag of Swedish Fish that I shared with her 7th period class.


The IA in my first period brought me a huge Gigi's cupcake and I got this cool quote board from Julia.



The balloons were tied onto everything all around me desk so when I went to drink out of my water bottle or grab a pen the balloons followed me. Every new class that walked in thought it was pretty sweet.


I want to keep the birthday message from Olivia, Maddy, Erin, Malena, Kaelyn and Julia up on my board for a long time. Some of my boys told me I should leave up these decorations until the end of the year.



Julia, the one who got her wisdom teeth out yesterday and showed up for her friend's Club Talk, showed up to school today just to complete this birthday caper. She went back home for some necessary rest after a few classes. I got a text from in the afternoon asking how my birthday eve was going and if I'd gotten any interesting voicemails. I had one from an unknown number earlier but didn't think anything of it. When I saw Julia's text I somehow knew who it must be from. I immediately listened to the message while my kids were watching Kid President and would you believe it was from Bob Goff himself.

Julia had called him to tell him about me and that it was my birthday next day when Bob asked for my number so he could give me a call. He is the kindest, most genuine soul and his words made me tear up right there in the middle of 7th period. The call was totally unexpected and totally awesome.


KCraig had been working on a special birthday surprise for me upstairs in her English room all day long. During SLT Kaitlyn, Bailee and Kenzie got to come down as the messengers to deliver letters and a stack of about thirty envelopes.


Kcraig had written a quote on each one that reminded her of me. Then her students choose one quote to respond to and write a birthday message to me. I had many of her students in class last year but even the ones who don't know me still had to write one. Such a fun surprise.


After school I drove down to Cathedral to pick up Libby and Haleigh from school.  A whole pack of Tecumseh girls go here as well and I got to see a bunch of them as they were all leaving the all school assembly. Olivia was rockin the boom box and leading the dance party.




It would be so fun to go to school with these rock stars everyday. I'm glad that I got to see them all for just a bit today. Haleigh had shadowed today, one of their most incredible days of the year, and I got to see all of them being ridiculous. My favorite moment was when they were in a circle belting out "My lip gloss is poppin" and one of their friends said, "I think this is what Public school kids do everyday."


We got back to the Hendrick's house and it didn't take me long to remember we had to check the mailbox. I knew about a birthday surprise that should arrive today and had my fingers crossed that it wouldn't be late. Libby and I sprinted out to the mailbox and IT ARRIVED! I can't open it until tomorrow but I'm so excited to read what's inside.


I'm with Libby, Emma and Hadley Hendricks for a few days and we keep adding friends to our party. We took cousin Mia and Haleigh to dinner at Noodles tonight.


They wanted to have an adventure so after much deliberation I taught them the cart game that I used to play with all my youth group friends in HS. You go into any large store and split up into two teams. Each group gets an empty basket or cart and three minutes to fill it with as many random items as they can from the whole story. If you're late getting back to the meeting spot you get a penalty. Then you switch baskets and your team has to put back every item in the correct spot.


It's one of those games that doesn't sound nearly as fun as it actually is. We had an odd number so I  got to be the ref and see the girls in action trying to find where golf tees, LAX pennies, paintball masks, headbands and fishing hooks all belonged. Haleigh and Hadley were victorious but they all had fun.


Back at home I finally got to finish reading all of the quotes from the KCraig envelopes. Some of them were hilarious, some were so sweet and kind, a few were illegible but they all just made me feel really special.


The rest of the night consisted of playing chauffeur to Emma and her friends, getting surprised by Oh la la Olivia, playing the Yearbook game and telling bedtime stories to the little girls. It's not even my birthday yet but it's already one of the best ones ever.

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