Before I go

 I wanted to write about our Valentine's Day party before I am down and out with chemo.

First, a window into the frustration of being Mrs. Davis.

We had our party Wednesday and the rest of the school is having their party tomorrow.  I debated whether they should exchange valentines on Wednesday or Friday.

I know enough to know that doing things out of the ordinary confuse them beyond belief.  I reasoned that since everyone else in the school--their siblings--would be bring valentines on Friday, we would do that too.  It felt like the path of least resistance.

I messaged their parents (on the app that translates to their home language) and let them know the plan.  Then, for a full week, I would tell them every day when we had our morning meeting that while we were having our party on Wednesday, we were exchanging valentines on Friday.

I told them every day.

Yesterday about half of them brought their valentines to exchange.  Some of them (not surprisingly the same ones who don't know what we're doing when I send them to their desks after a math lesson--they don't listen!) were shocked.  Wait, we're not exchanging valentines today?!?

The ones who listened and didn't bring their valentines were thrown into a tailspin of panic.  But I didn't bring my valentines today!

I put all the valentines on top of a bookshelf--until Friday.  I explained it all again.

(Alissa and I were comparing notes on how fractions on a number line were going.  She said, "You can only lead a horse to water.")

A sad truth.

Our party was slated for the afternoon.  We also had two birthdays (I have more February birthdays than any other month this year!).  So we had double cupcakes, juice boxes and super amped up kids because we were doing a party instead of phonics.

I decided to save the cupcakes for the very end of the day (which had its drawbacks because they were simultaneously cleaning up and holding a heavily frosted cupcake in each hand).

Three stellar mothers came to help with the party and they are the type of mothers that you just know are going to be great and know how to handle everything.  One mother brought a panapoly of craft supplies and they made cards.  One mother brought hearts on papers.  She had written conversation heart type stuff on the hearts with white crayon and they painted with water color to "reveal the secret."  They were enthralled.  Then they stacked conversation hearts using chopsticks.

One of the mothers brought a word search she had created for the station she asked me to run.  It was simple to be in charge of and allowed me to go around and snap pictures of the others.

And I wanted to snap pictures because one mother wrapped their heads in Saran Wrap, piled shaving cream on their heads and had a contest.  Their partner would throw froot loops at the shaving cream and whoever got the most to stick, was the winner.

It was hilarious.

And made such a mess!  (I apologized to the custodians.)

At the end of the very fun party, after they'd picked up all the cereal that wasn't smashed into the carpet, one of the mothers said that they had a gift for me that they wanted me to open in front of the kids.

It was a quilt they had made me!

They were so excited to show me the individual blocks they had made.  I will treasure it and I so appreciate the coordination and sewing talent that went into it from the mothers!

I cried a little.

(Only a little because I didn't want to freak them out.)

So they don't listen all that well, but I love those kids.  They freely give their affection to the woman who makes them sit still, do phonics and put their name on their paper.

I'm glad they're mine.