So I have to explain what else happened on the 25th! It was the craziest day of work I've had so far. It was my birthday AND it was a half day of school AND it was Thanksgiving feast day.
1) I arrived at the office in the morning only to get a phone call from my boss saying that her dad had passed away during the night and so she wouldn't be in. She would, however, stop by around 12:00 to drop off the food.
2) Middle school and high school-ers started showing up around 11:45. They wanted to know where the food was. Well, Cindy didn't show up until almost 12:45, and the little kids were supposed to arrive at 1:15. So the older kids helped us heat up and set up the food: turkey, mashed and sweet potatoes, rolls, green beans... A couple volunteers showed up and brought corn, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. This craziness all started happening at the same moment that the two upset 5th grade boys came in...
3) Plus, Cindy was extra stressed out because she'd meant to do more for my birthday, like buy a cheesecake and have the kids made cards, but hadn't had time. A couple of the kids made birthday posters for me which they all signed. Someone unceremoniously handed me an unwrapped present: I had to check with Cindy to make sure it was actually a present for me.
4) The teens were still eating when the 1st-4th graders got here, and we had to move them out as quickly as they'd go so that the little kids would have a place to sit. By then, the food had cooled off again, so we had to heat up each kid's plate individually after they got their food... And then of course they wouldn't stay in their seats and eat.
Cindy left at 1:45. The two adult volunteers left at 2:30 after cleaning up most of the food and helping a couple kids with homework. I was left alone with 20 children who were going bonkers and being loud. And 5 teenagers who had offered to help with the kids but instead were hanging out in the computer lab and making sympathy cards for Ms. Cindy. Some had homework, some wanted to go outside, and I couldn't be in two places at one time! I finally remembered that the kids are perfectly self-sufficient when they're outside and realized it would be much less chaotic and stressful. I also realized that I still had to keep them busy for 2 more hours(!), and homework could be done after they'd gotten their energy out. Luckily, right as we were about to go out, a mom showed up to pick up her kid and offered to stick around and supervise for a little while -- THANK GOODNESS! Then, not too long after, our two regular Tuesday high school volunteers showed up! I was able to send kids in two at a time to get homework help from them while I stayed outside with the rest. Being an early release day and almost a holiday, a number of the kids went home early and the few that were left played games, watched a movie, and helped clean up.
5) Needless to say, my feet were sore and I was exhausted at the end of the day. So instead of going roller skating with my housemates, which I had NO energy for for, we just played Apples to Apples after dinner. My housemates made me a chocolate-peanut butter pie: yum!
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