Teacher Appreciation Week! It's great to be noticed...I think?!

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Not necessarily a week I mark on my calendar each year...I didn't even know it was TA Week until I read it on our reader board outside our school Monday morning. Is that because, subconsciously, I don't feel appreciated?? No...it's because I don't need a week to know how much I am appreciated. I see that every day. Some view teaching as a thankless job, but I see it a thankful. I'm thankful for my kids. I'm thankful that I can let the kids know I care. And I'm thankful that, every day, I can do something I LOVE to do. Not many people can say that.

So, as I passed the reader board with nothing more than a "huh" when I read about the celebratory week that's, apparently, all about me, the thought passed through my brain and was put in the file labeled, "RANDOM CRAP I PROBABLY WON'T REMEMBER."

I unceremoniously let myself in through the side door, greeted a few early arrivals with a forced smile (I had left my coffee on the counter at home), and let myself in my room. No sooner did I put down my bag and take off my coat when the door opened. There stood Carla, one of the the sweetest, most caring, kindest seventh graders I have this year, peeking in the door. "Good morning, Mrs. Tag," she said as she started inching through the door.

Now, let me take a minute to explain something. Middle-schoolers usually don't just come in for a visit with their teacher in the morning. It's not like elementary school where they can't WAIT to see you and wave at you like they haven't seen you in ages, when, really, it's only been about 17 hours.

Uh, no. Middle-schoolers come see you at 7:30 a.m. for one of three reasons: (1) you have assigned them a detention and they remembered before you did that they had to serve it that day; (2) there is some kind of drama that needs immediate attention, like a lost binder or puppy love gone wrong; or, (3) an attempt at a lame excuse about work not being completed...printer didn't work, late soccer game, forgot their book in their locker. You pick.

But Carla's visit revolved around NONE of these three, which threw me for a loop. She wanted to shoot the breeze. Started asking me how I was doing, wanted to know about the book I was reading. Had me sign her new glow-in-the-dark cast...all WAY too much for me at 7:30 a.m. without my morning cup o' Joe. But I played along, after all, she is a darling. And, dangit, I love these little monkeys.

Then, she said three words I have NEVER heard before: "Happy Teacher Appreciation Day". It was so sweet....she looked all nervous, and it sounded weird to her, too, those words coming out of her mouth kind of like a cross between Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas, her mind not quite knowing how to deliver the message. Of course, I oozed all over her, thanking her and telling her it was so sweet for her to remember. And let her know that she was the first to wish me Happy Teacher Appreciation Day (it sounded weird coming out of my mouth, too).

Begin the long pause, the awkward silence as Carla held out a gift bag. "Here." Wow! I thought. A gift? Seriously? Geez, in the 15 years I've taught middle school, I've only gotten maybe a handful of gifts total and this kid got me something for Teacher Appreciation Week?! It solidified that she was the sweetest thing ever. I took the gift bag and, seriously, had to choke back a tear.

"Open it," she said. I reached into the bag and picked up something small wrapped inside sunny yellow tissue paper. Her smile filled the room as I took out the small jar of ... eye cream? No shit. Eye cream.

Yep. And for the first time in a long time I was speechless. "It's eye cream, Mrs. Tag," she said with a gleam in her eye. "You keep it in the refrigerator." At this point, I'm still speechless but smiling at her excitement. "See, if you keep it in the refrigerator," she explained, "it will work better." Uh-huh, I thought, laughing a bit inside. And then it came. Her explanation of the gift....with all the seriousness in the world, she explained, "See how your eyes are puffy and that you have those wrinkles? This can help with those!"

Out of the mouths of babes.

Some people might have been offended, but not me. Now, believe me, this was the freakiest, funniest thing that has EVER happened to me as a teacher. But...more than that...this little monkey not only took the time to actually get me a gift for Teacher Appreciation Week, but she really put her heart and soul it! She thought about what might make me happy. She pays attention to my well-being (okay, a little too much, but still sweet). And she was so proud of herself she was about to burst. With a big hug I sincerely thanked her and even made a point to explain that I was going to put the eye cream in my mini-fridge so that maybe I could use it later.

What did I do with it? Well, I brought that little jar home with me. Why? I can honestly tell you that I'm never going to use it... as intended. Not that I don't need it (I mean, seriously, if a 12-year-old thinks I need it, I probably do). I will, however, use it as a reminder that students notice EVERYTHING about you...which can be both a blessing and a curse. But either way, I appreciate them for that.