a birthday story

Wow. I am so lucky. Let me tell you a story...

I teach in a school where over 90% of the 900+ students are living in poverty. Each year on my birthday (and even NOT on my birthday), my kids do amazing things that are beyond generous. Here is a story.

I get to work and every morning on the announcements the principal reads something called "the play of the day." The students write handwritten notes to her explaining why a teacher deserves the play of the day and you get a little football you keep in your room for the day.

So, I'm doing my morning routine, taking attendance and whatnot--and she starts talking about how normally when she gets a play of the day she puts it on the bottom of the stack and reads the oldest first, etc. Well, then she talks about how a group of girls approached her with a play of the day she HAD to read and since it was this teacher's birthday...

and this is what she read:

"I think that Mrs. " " should get play of the day because she's nice to us, makes us laugh, cares for us, never yells at us, and she always dresses super nice everyday...she's the prettiest teacher as well!! That's why all of her students love her! Happy Birthday Mrs. ""

Y'all. Seriously. I love my job and these kids. I may or may not have shed a tear hearing that. But wait...there's more.

The choir came in my room and sang me happy birthday during a class.

I had a huge group of kids sing me happy birthday during a student-faculty basketball game.

Every class sang me happy birthday and tons of kids wrote me insanely sweet notes.

One of my student's moms baked me a FLAN HELLO KITTY CAKE.

And in that bag? One of my student's moms KNITTED ME A SCARF. KNITTED IT HERSELF.

My dad sends me flowers every year, but I still get surprised when I see them.

And of course I got tons of phone calls, texts, and messages from friends and family.

What an awesome birthday. I am super blessed.