Rewind.

Last night, Kev and I went with my oldest brother and his family to Dad's retirement party at my old elementary school. The last time I walked through those doors was twelve years ago at my wedding reception. It's been awhile.

I saw SO many of my old teachers, and even a few of my old classmates there. It was like this crazy walk back in time, or a Twilight Zone old school reunion of sorts, as I ran across one after another of these staff members.

I saw my old gym teacher who called me a "bonehead" in class one time back when I was in 4th grade. I had missed two weeks of school because of strep throat, so I had no idea how to play the game that everyone else had been playing for two weeks already. I got over it, but then and there, I said that if I ever went into education I would never call one of my students a name. I DID go into education for about 8 years - I was a phys. ed. teacher for about 6 of them - and I remembered my vow.

I also saw my old homeroom teacher that my boyfriend and I had together for all four years of our highschool career. She saw the start of our relationship, she saw when it started to go south - badly, she got involved - which made me really mad at the time, but deep down I loved her because of it, she was there when I broke up with him, and she walked with me when he committed suicide right before we graduated.

I love her. And I told her so last night.
And because of her - there were times during my years as a teacher that I got involved with my students, as well.

Good and bad memories.
They all have a way of shaping us and making us into the people we are today.

So, last night we celebrated eight long-term teachers who have been at that school for years. It was silly, it was fun, It was super inappropriate at times, and it went a little long. But we had fun. Our little corner of the room got a wee bit rowdy at the end. Again - very reminiscent of my old school days. When I know I'm supposed to behave, it makes it that much harder. We would dare Dad to do random things - and he would. During moments of silence throughout the evening, Kev would have crazy outbursts. And when the program started to go a little long, we just made our own fun.

I have not laughed that hard in awhile.
I'm pretty sure that Mom was sufficiently mortified.
Again - a rewind back in time. Poor lady - that's been her life with us hoolies.

Sometimes I laugh so hard, the tears run down my leg.....