I felt the EARTH. MOVE. under my feet....

Hmmmmm......let's see.  What could make the second day of school just as exciting as the first?

I know!

I know!

Pick me!

Pick me!

AN EARTHQUAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep.  We had a 5.8/5.9 earthquake.  It is considered a "moderated" earthquake.  The difference between a 5.8 and a "serious" 6.0 earthquake is considerable.  A 6.0 is TWICE as strong as the one we experienced today.  I am so thankful it wasn't any stronger than it was.

I have to tell you, it was a surreal experience.  I had just dropped my class off with the music teacher and was sitting at my computer with a lovely cup of HOT coffee (as an aside, my room is as cold as the North freaking Pole!) when all of the sudden the earth moved.  LITERALLY.  The pictures on my walls started shaking and one of the pictures on my desk fell over.  At first I wasn't sure what was going on.  I thought that the class next store was getting a little rowdy.  Then I realized that the ground was moving.  So many thoughts go through your head at that moment.  I was scared but I wasn't.  It is hard to explain.

The music teacher brought my kids back and the boys thought the whole thing was super-cool.  They said it felt like being on a roller coaster at an amusement park.  Most of the girls were ok but I did have one little one that was pretty shaken up (no pun intended).  I did my best to comfort her and, by the time her dad picked her up, she seemed much better.  We had extended study hall and quiet reading time the rest of the day.

Hopefully tomorrow will be "normal" and quiet.  No earthquakes, no fire drills, no tornadoes, no hurricanes.  Well, the hurricane may come later in the week, but it looks like it will be over the weekend.  School is supposed to start on time tomorrow and I am hoping all my little loves will be there.

I read them  a story yesterday called The Teacher from the Black Lagoon.  It's a cute little story about a boy who has heard only bad things about the teacher he is supposed to have.  She is a dragon, she breathes fire, she bites kids in half in order to teach fractions...you know, just like me.  ;)  Anyway.  Her name is Mrs. Green.  Well, at the end of the day yesterday, one of my more, um, shall we say, "active" little boys looks at me and says sweetly, "Miss Olsen?  You wasn't anything like Mrs. Green today."  I laughed out loud!  I thought that was so funny.

Wait til he sees me in September.....

;)