What is your answer?

I saw this posted in a school I subbed at and it was a nice reminder of why I do what I do.

What is your answer when an idiot asks how much do you make?
What Do Teachers Make?

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education.
He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: 'Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.'
He argued, 'What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?'
To emphasize his point he said to another guest; 'You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?'
Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, 'You want to know what I make?
(She paused for a second, then began...)
· 'Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
· I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.
· I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.
You want to know what I make?' (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)
· ''I make kids wonder.
· I make them question.
· I make them apologize and mean it.
· I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.
· I teach them to write and then I make them write.
· Keyboarding isn't everything.
· I make them read, read, read.
· I make them show all their work in math. They use their God-given brain, not the man-made calculator.
· I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.
· I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.
· I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to say thePledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God, because we live in the United States of America .
I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.'(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.) 'Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant... You want to know what I make? I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make Mr. CEO?' His jaw dropped, he went silent.

I Love Life!!!

There's something to said for a night out with a great friend. One of these days I'm going to stop being amazed by the power of true friends. Em drove up yesterday after work and we hit our favorite place to eat, BWW before heading to a movie. We ate, laughed, talked, and played a couple games of cards. The healing powers of those simple actions are awesome! The Bounty Hunter was a hilarious movie! I'm glad we picked laugh over cry. :)

I would be lying of I said that I love everything about my life, but I can say that I love life in general. I'm happy, I'm taking care of myself and I'm moving forward with my life. I'm not sitting back and watching the world pass me by. I've jumped in the drivers seat and am leading the way. I knew that year 26 was going to bring great things. I've known this since I was a little girl and 26 was my favorite number. Yes I know many of you might be thinking, isn't your lucky number 23? Yes my lucky/favorite number is 23, but it hasn't always been. From the time I could remember I've had a thing for the number 6, I don't know what it is, but I just like it. I can remember being young and thinking that at 26 I would have a career, man, house, and family. Well, I only have one of those things, but think about all that's changed in my life since the 25th of February. I think that I've grown SO much. So I don't have a man, house or am I anywhere near starting a family. I'm ok with that. My life has just started and I've finally decided that I don't need someone else to help make me happy. Yes I've known that this was true for a while, but I hadn't been able to really believe it and feel it deep down. Now I do. I love me. I love my life. I am single and truly happy and cannot even wrap my brain around being even happier. I will not settle and I will have what I deserve out of life.

The biggest thing that I've started to notice is that music once again makes me smile. Yes, it also makes me cry like no other. Even happy songs used to make me cry. I'd sit and think yea right, no one is that happy. Now I sit and think that I am that happy, and I'm that happy all alone. It's like being at the bottom and being happy, the only place you can go is up and when you're already up how great is that? There is no one to tear me down. I have no man in my life to break my heart. I've surrounded myself with people who love me and who will never let me down.

Have I mentioned that I'm happy and that I love life?