Happy Hearts Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, all you little particles in the blogosphere! Having such a popular holiday smack dab in the middle of the week makes things a bit awkward for a grade school teacher. Do you have a sugar-coated party on Tuesday and then face the hyperactive consequences for the rest of the week? Or do you defer the holiday and have your party on Friday, when you can send the kids home to their parents for the weekend, hopped up on goofballs?
Well, my partner and I decided to go with the latter choice. Though all of the other 3rd grade classes (and I assume the rest of the school) passed out cards and candy today (HAHA! The suckers!), my partner (from now on, we'll call her Mrs. Education) really wanted to wait until Friday, so I obliged her. Yesterday, I sent home a flier with the kids that included a class list, so that they would be able to bring a card and/or goodies for everyone, and no one would feel left out. There's nothing worse than to be sitting at a desk with one lowly Snickers bar, while the kid next to you can't see over the pile of mushy cards. Before the kids left my room, though, I had them write in big letters, "PARTY ON FRIDAY." I told them repeatedly that we would NOT be passing out cards today, and not to bring snacks until Friday.
Lo and behold, 7:20 this morning, and the first kid through the door to the gym is Q, carrying a big box of homemade cupcakes. Q is not exactly the crispest Yugi-Oh card in the deck. When I reminded him that the party was on Friday, and that he himself had written that note on his flier, he said, "I know! But my grandma said I had to bring them today!"
The cupcakes were in a shallow cardboard box, covered with a sheet of tinfoil. I was very tempted to start a class science project this morning, to examine the effects of oxidation on yeast, as in cupcakes left out on a shelf. I did go to the cafeteria, though, and get some plastic wrap, so hopefully that will seal in the flavor a little bit better and help the snacks survive until Friday.
Q wasn't alone. He was the only one who brought edible foodstuffs, but several other boys brought cards. Their listening skills just never cease to amaze me.
A few kids from other classes gave me candy throughout the day, and one of the girls in my class even brought a little mug/beanie baby gift bag. Very thoughtful of her. I'll never forget, though, the handmade card I received my first year of teaching from one of my favorite students ever. She wrote on the inside,

"Happy Valentine's Day, Mister Teacher!
Even though you are a man, Valentine's
Day is for everyone to have love."

I was so happy that my Y chromosome wasn't going to prohibit me from participating in the spirit of love! Now, if only my lack of social skills wouldn't prohibit that same thing. . .