Back To School Time!

I cannot believe it's that time of year again, can you? Remember back in the good old days when we started school after Labor Day? Whatever happened to that? Why do our poor kids have to start in the middle of summer? And why do I keep questioning everything?

Here are just a few of my favorite school memories....

1. Kindergarten - I was so scared to leave my mommy that first day and she didn't want to leave me either so she took me home! I have a feeling dad had a talk with her because I had to go to school the next day! My teacher was Mrs. Rose and she was beautiful.

2. First grade - Milk~YUCK! We had to have a milk break every morning and I would pretend to drink my milk. I was very sneaky and would toss my carton in the trash the same time some other kid did because I didn't want to get caught not drinking my milk. I still hate milk. Hmmm, who woulda thought I'd get arthritis ;o) My teacher was Mrs. Bromley and she was beautiful.

3. Second grade - Billy! Sigh. The new boy was named Billy and he had the biggest brown eyes and the prettiest smile ever! I also remember that I raised my hand and asked to go potty and the teacher wouldn't let me. I kept asking to go and she said to hold it until recess. I couldn't hold it anymore and well, you can guess. My teacher was Mrs. Lawton and even though she was beautiful she wasn't very smart for letting me wait. She was the one that had to clean it up ;o)

4. Third grade - I learned so much this year! I heard the f-word for the first time in my life. I didn't know it was bad and I asked my teacher what it meant. I will never forget the look on her face! I also learned I could steal candy from my teacher's desk when she left the room. She had these little foiled covered chocolates that were so yummy. My desk was up front and when she would leave the room me and my friend, also an Amy, would take them. Yes, it was wrong and I am ashamed for doing it, but please don't let this tarnish your image of me! My teacher was Mrs. Heiss and she was old and crabby, but had good candy!

5. Fourth grade - I felt so grown up in fourth grade. My mom let me grow my bangs out and I had the grooviest clothes ever! I even wanted to change the spelling of my name to Aimee. I wrote it once on a paper and the teacher marked it wrong! I remember mom buying me the cool colored paper~thanks mom! I still buy it for myself. I'm that immature. My teacher was Mrs. Worth and she was beautiful and very sweet.

6. Fifth grade - A huge turning point in my life. The beginning of the year my wrists started hurting. My folks figured it had to do with all the climbing and tumbling I did. Then my knees began to ache. Again, I was always jumping out of swings so why wouldn't they hurt?! I believe it was October (doesn't really matter) that the doctor tested me for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and it came back positive. This was the first time I would be on crutches. But I also loved fifth grade. Back then we were allowed to read out of out little red New Testament Bibles every morning! We had a boy in class that still pooped his pants :o( But there were three Amy's and we were the best of friends! My teacher was Mrs. Cochran and she was elderly, fluffy, loved the Lord and the most beautiful teacher I had thus far!

7. Sixth grade - Middle school. Changing classes. Our own lockers. P.E. and having to take showers with other girls. Starting my period at ten years old. Going up and down three flights of stairs on crutches, carrying books-not fun! Boys! And lots of them to choose from. Horrible school cafeteria food. Winning the class spelling bee. My favorite teacher was Mr. Hammond. I think because he was young and cute.

8. Seventh grade - I still feel bad about this, but I cheated on a science test. I had missed a lot of school and thought I had studied enough for it, but I was lost once I got the test. My notes were right there and I peeked...over and over. My notes weren't that great either because I got a "C" on the test. Serves me right, huh? I also won the spelling bee again. My favorite teacher was Mr. Rubenstein because he raved about a poem I wrote and used it for an example for many years!

9. Eighth grade - Tough, tough year. Lots of pain. Splints for my wrists. Learning how to write left handed so I could wear my splint. And the drama! This is when I started hanging out with just guys. They were so much easier to be with. No fighting and no jealousy! Plus guys always stick up for ya! My music teacher didn't believe that I needed to be on crutches or wear splints. (Yeah, like I was doing it for fun.) She was giving me what for one day when my dear friend Mike stepped in and let her have it! He's still one of my closest pals. And I hate to brag, but I won the spelling bee yet again! My favorite teachers was Mr. Don (for some reason I can't remember his last name right now) He just recently passed away suddenly. Very sad because he wasn't that old.

10. Freshman - High school! I had finally got off crutches before I started school only to go and break my leg! So I started off my high school years on crutches. I stayed on them all four years so I won't mention it again! I was scared to go at first, but once I got there I loved it. I made some wonderful friends that first week. And some of them were even girls! And I had great teachers that were so willing to work with me because I missed so much school. And our high school cafeteria served the best food of any of the schools. My favorite teacher this year was Mr. Crowe. He taught algebra and back then I was quite good at it. We won't mention how good I am today though!

11. Sophomore - Typing and business classes. I may have had crippled fingers, but boy could I type faster than anybody! Sunshine Society. Spanish Club. Donny Osmond was hotter than ever! Laughing at lunch with the girls and pointing to all the cute guys. I got my first perm. Hated it! I had my favorite teacher, Mrs. German, for three classes...Spanish, English and imaginary lit!

12. Junior - Driver's Ed. Slumber parties. The kind where boys show up! I didn't do anything bad peeps! I was asked to all the dances, but I wasn't confident enough to go since I couldn't dance. Looking back now I would have gone in a heartbeat and had a blast! Oh well. My best friend's parent were going through a nasty divorce this year. We drove to school together everyday. Some days she would want to talk and I would listen. Other days she wanted to just be quiet, but I would still listen to her silence. I know she needed me to be sitting beside her feeling her pain. My favorite teacher was Mr. German. He didn't make me take my final exam when he found out my kitty died!

13. Senior - Enjoyed every minute of it! I loved all my friends and my teachers. Had no idea what I wanted to do in life besides being a wife and mom. I did miss a lot of school and usually went half days so my grades weren't particularly the best. But I remember just being really, really happy. Plus I was able to get off my crutches about a month before I graduated! That was exciting to be able to walk up and receive my diploma! I still loved Donny with all my heart. Some things never change...lol!

What is one of your favorite school memories?