Can you tell the difference?

After posting all of my sewing projects, I was reminded of a funny story that happened to me about five years ago.

Background:
When I was 18, I took sewing lessons from a lady that goes to my church. It was once a week. I provided all the fabric, patterns, etc. and chose what I wanted to make. Since this was during my high school years, of course, I wanted to make all sorts of clothing for myself (shirts, capris, dresses, etc.). She guided me through each project. It was great, she told me how to complete each step and helped me with the difficult parts. (I wish she was around for some of my most recent projects. I really could have used her help.) And the best part of the whole thing was, getting new clothes to wear when I was finished.

More background info:
After high school graduation I started working at an office supply store to earn some money for college. I worked as part of the floor staff. We greeted the customers, helped them find the item they were looking for, checked them out, answered phones, took orders, etc.

Don't worry. This will all make sense in the end.

One day at work the following situation occurred:

A lady, probably in her mid 40's came into the store looking for a certain kind of legal document. I walked her back to the area where we kept all of those documents and showed her the many different kinds. She looked for a minute and then found the one she needed. I walked with her up to the front to ring her up. As we approached the counter, she said the following:

Lady: So, when are you due?
Me (as I feel my face getting EXTREMELY red): I am NOT pregnant. (Keep in mind. I am 18, single, LDS, AND wearing my new homemade shirt!)
Lady (without skipping a beat): Oh, that's too bad. I just love babies.
Me (staring at her with a dumbfounded expression): No words would come out. I just gave her a half smile while thinking... THAT'S TOO BAD! WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT'S TOO BAD!

I quickly told her how much she owed, gave her her change, and walked as fast as I could into the back room.

All the while, my coworkers were just standing there with their mouths open.

Talk about taking someone's self esteem and cutting it in half!

Needless to say, I never wore that shirt again...

until I actually was pregnant.


Here is documentation of me wearing my newly sewn shirt when I was 18. This is the only picture I could find since I don't think I wore it again until just recently so I am bent over, but clearly...there is NO baby in that belly.


Here I am at 37 weeks wearing the masterpiece (just kidding). Keep in mind, this shirt is NOT a maternity shirt so it's not so flattering. Oh, and don't pay any attention to the "I'm so done being pregnant" look on my face. Not so flattering either.


A view from the side. Again, clearly this shirt was not meant for the 37 week pregnant me. Yuck! Don't worry, mom, I didn't wear this out of the house so you don't have to be embarrassed for me. :)

I just have one question.

Lady. Can you tell the difference, now!?

School

Today is the first day of school, here in St. George, and I have to admit I am feeling a little (ok, a lot) "schoolsick". I know that's not really a word, but we'll just pretend.

I know some of you reading this are thinking I am absolutely crazy!!! Let me clarify that it's not being the student that I miss so much, but the teacher. So nonetheless, I am missing Kindergarten terribly. At the end of this last school year I was wondering if I would ever get to this point again because I thought the tattle-telling would NEVER end and I was beginning to feel like my name was being over used. (Mrs. Stevens he did this... Mrs. Stevens, so and so won't stop bugging me, etc.) I can just hear it now, but I am actually missing those little kidos something fierce.

Although I only taught for one year, I soon found out that I was in the absolute perfect profession for me. I knew I would like teaching, but I didn't know I would LOVE teaching Kindergarten. The more I taught, the more I liked it-which is what everyone wants to say about their career, but not many can. I was fortunate enough to work in the most wonderful school with fabulous co-workers. I truly was spoiled.

So now to end this walk down memory lane I will leave you with one of many of the humorous moments of teaching.

Background: My classroom discipline policy was based on a clip system. The kids each had a nametag that they would turn over each day for attendance purposes. (We also did a lot of work with the letters in their name, vowels, etc.) If a student was misbehaving and broke one of the rules, they would put a clip (a small clothespin) on their nametag as a warning. Two clips-they missed afternoon recess, and three-I called their parents. This was very effective in my classroom.

Me: Tom, if you do not stop throwing things, I am going to have to call your parents. You already have two clips on your nametag and if you do not make a better choice, you will get another clip.

Tom: I'm gonna call YOUR parents.

Me: Tom, I don't think they'd care. (As I am trying not to laugh, while I am envisioning my Dad answering that phone call.)

Kids. You gotta love 'em.

* I am trying to document all of my funny classroom stories (I know I should have been doing this as they happened) so that I can post some of them for a good laugh. Be looking forward to some more later on.

Here I am on the first day of school. In case you are wondering, the black thing around my neck is a microphone. Our school had some hearing impaired students. Although not every class needed a microphone, we all used them. I think every school should have them in their classrooms. They are awesome!