state champs

our 6-man football team went undefeated this season and earned a spot in the 1A championship game down at war memorial stadium in laramie. working the crow's nest most of the last two seasons, i have developed a deep appreciation and love for the 6-man game. it's fast paced, high scoring and has different rules that keep it interesting (ie the mercy rule). 

after a morning spent building set for next week's play, the few teachers left behind barbequed hot dogs and hamburgers for the 13 high school kids in attendance, complete with baked beans, chips and lemonade; a real tailgate party!

the 10 or so middle school students also left behind later joined us and together we enjoyed an afternoon of football watching on the big screen inside as the snow gently fell outside. 

after an entertaining afternoon and impressive win of 50-34, a facebook and text message went viral in town inviting everyone to welcome the boys back by lining main street later tonight. we all met at 10 p.m., handed out sparklers and waited in the wind and snow to show our pride. 

as i looked around at people filing out of the bars, out of their cars, old and young, i couldn't help beam with pride, not only for our boys but for the people of this community. and as the fire trucks rounded the corner, i fought back tears. the happy kind. i love this place...

msbb

i tell you what, there is nothing that brings a bigger smile to your face than watching a game of middle school boy's basketball; male pre-teenage angst played out on the court in all of it's glory: awkward, cocky, confused, uncoordinated, happy, tearful...

baaaa

i love living so close to my high school office; not only does it afford me the luxury of quickly running back across the street to retrieve the (insert random item here) that i left at my house in the morning , but also provides me the opportunity to quickly and easily fetch the homemade candy i left in my desk drawer and was oh so desperately craving tonight.

i also love living in a town where when i fetch that late night candy, the students i run into don't judge me for my flannel sheep pajamas and mismatched socks.

election day

my favorite election day conversation today at school:

"miss kunkel, who did you vote for?"

"well, asking someone who they voted for is kind of personal, like asking someone how old they are or how much they weigh."

"well, i'm 11 and i weigh 80 pounds, now who did you vote for?"

 

umbrellas

have you ever heard the phrase "when it rains, it pours"?

i realized today that for some of the kids i work with, it never stops raining. add in a day like today, and you can find them scrambling for an umbrella.

it leaves me wondering: will the sun ever come out? will they ever dry off?

standing in puddles, i pray nobody hands them a blow dryer.