Upon being the recipient of a "duck tape" purse...

Today was "payday" for the staff of Unified School District #308, Hutchinson, Ks. and certainly during a time when so many folks (friends and family included) are without jobs and the benefits like insurance that come with them, well...I count my blessings that I have one.  So many times I have said that being a teacher will never make me "financially" rich, but I am forever going to be grateful for the knowledge of the many other "rewards" that come to me each and every day.  


Here's how I look at it~getting to know, nurture and mentor some of the greatest kids EVER just has to occupy the #1 spot at the top of my "extra benefits" list.  I have been the recipient, more times than I can count or remember, of special little things those kids did for me during the course of now, soon to be my 35th school year.  (Wow, I just realized it's been 35 years.)


My keepsake box here at home is filled to the brim with beautiful little pictures and notes of thanks from many of my students, not only from my teaching days here in Hutchinson but also my 20 years teaching for USD 312, Haven.  If any of you reading this are former students of mine, chances are VERY good that I have something in my box that you made special for me too.  Believe it or not, there are also some little notes that say "I'm sorry!" and those are the ones that are so tender to my heart as a teacher.  For what ever "rule" a student might have felt they broke, many of them returned to school the next day with a note in hand, asking to be forgiven for their "wrong" and letting me know they were sorry.  


The folks earning wages in the six-figure + range can keep all their "fancy year end bonuses" cause I bet they have never felt the sweaty little hand of a seven-year old grasp theirs on the playground.  (No offense intended to those of you who earn that much money-I'm happy for you, really I am.)  And tell me, in which high-dollar store are you ever going to buy the gift of a "toothless grin" or the exasperated tears of a little one who FINALLY gets how to add with "regrouping"?  There is no such place on earth to purchase those things and that's why they are so special.  


Yep~This teacher, just like so very many others, knows the nice feeling that my heart gets whenever a child says to me, "Mrs. Miller, I made this for you!"  I thought I had seen it all, after all I've been around the "teaching block" at least twice.  But today, well today was different.  At summer school, the sweetest little 8 year old girl, grin as big as can be on her freckled face, announced to me..."Mrs. Miller, I made this at home JUST for you!"  The picture below shows what she gave me.  

Don't you just love it?  And I'm going to make a wild guess that most of you have never had one.  I'm sorry about that and maybe someday you shall receive one too :)  My friends, that is a one of  kind, not an imitation, "duck tape purse by Mauryn".  She worked so long and hard on it and actually, no kidding, it really COULD be a functional little handbag.  There was a secret surprise inside~a small bouquet of duck tape flowers that she added for that "extra touch".  Little Mauryn, I promise you my young friend, I shall treasure it for all the days of my life.  It's versatile, by the way.  You can carry it while wearing just about any color because people will be so awestruck by its beauty and uniqueness that they will not even bother noticing what color your outfit is.  Mauryn, I actually see a future for you in fashion design.  Hey, it could happen you know.


Tonight I need to sit down and do what everyone else finds themselves doing on a pretty regular basis-paying bills.  One of the least fun things I can think of to do and as you sit there watching your paycheck "disappear" way too quickly, you have to put things in their proper perspective.  I'm only speaking for me here...I am so grateful to have a job that I love and one that provides me a way to take care of my needs.  It pays for the roof over my head, the gas I put in my vehicle, the food and drink that I put in my body.  And as the days go by and the time between paychecks can seem like forever and my bank account starts to look a little "skinny", well with a very thankful heart I am glad that God has always provided me with "enough".  


Mauryn's gift of the brand new purse is a fine example of the "bonus" that I got with this month's paycheck.  The cool thing is that it came with no price tag~there's nothing I could have done to earn it and surely nothing I could do that would ever make her take it away again.  "Freely given", now THAT's what I love about being a teacher!


Have a great evening friends...and oh, by the way-getting ready to accomplish the next thing on my bucket list in the next few days.  I'll probably be able to live through it, don't you worry about me.  More on that later.  Good Night and much love to all of you, the dearest of my friends.