My life is not that exciting, I realized. It's very stable. Very settled. I think I know what it means to "get married and settle down somewhere." Don't get me wrong. I feel very rooted. I feel like this is where Danny and I are supposed to be right now. But, the most exciting thing I'm doing this week is cooking dinner for five people tonight. Jay, Joe, Slim, Danny, and me. I'm going to try to make some Japanese food. We'll see how it turns out. Jay is in town for like a week, so it should be a fun time of reconnecting and reminiscing.

I found a note on my desk at the end of class today from a student of mine:

"Dear Mrs. Chai: I thank you for teaching me and other students because I know it's hard to not lose control."

What an observant and precocious child. He's one of my quieter kids. Very mature for his age. Great kid! It's these moments when an 8-year-old kid thanks me that I know why I do what I do. And I enjoy it immensely. Today I got to teach parallel and intersecting lines. We also did a hands-on project where the kids made a 3-D model of Hades. And, I got to choose some of my favorite books for them to read for book clubs: Charlotte's Web, Little House on the Prairie, James and the Giant Peach, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

But truly, I'm so glad the school day is over. I'm so thoroughly exhausted when the kids leave. Now I can catch up on some personal business, prepare for the next day, and tutor in peace.