It's the Little Things...

There was another soccer game after school, so all but one of my students stayed afterwards.  I got more accomplished than I had expected, especially after they left to go warm up.  My outside door was propped open to let some cool air in our sweltering classroom, so I could hear/see people coming and going.  One third grader and his first grade sister came walking up the steps to my room.  I could hear them before they got close, "Of course she's in there.  Let's go say hi to Miss Heintz."  They come running in, say hi, and then scamper off to do something else.  A few minutes later the boy comes back in carrying a paper plate and a small Tupperware container. 

"Miss Heintz, I got a surprise for you."

His brother (one of my 6th graders) had been squishing box elder bugs against the side of the school today, so I was a little leery of this third grader's surprise.

"Is it a good surprise or something that might be kind of gross?"
"A good one.  You can eat it."  He opened up the container to reveal an apple dessert, fresh from the oven (his mom baked it before they came over to the game).  He told me he was going to give some to his teacher, but Mr. D left for the day, so he'd have to find someone else to give it to.  This third grader was so prepared!  He had brought plastic forks and plates.

So he scooped out a piece for me and plopped it on the plate.  It wouldn't slide off the fork, so he used one grubby finger to put some pressure on his surprise for me.  Internally wincing, I noticed all the layers of dirt he had on his hands as he pulled the fork out.  But... I ate it anyway.  It was delicious.  There were of course apples, with a crusty bread-like top sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.  Did I mention it was warm from the oven?  Yum. 

After delivering the other piece to our principal, he and his sister came back swinging Lunchables, their supper for tonight.  I made them sit at one of our back tables so they wouldn't get food all over the place.  They kept talking the entire time they were eating.  And they kept trying to give me their food too (I made them eat it all). 

The sister kept calling me "Mrs. Heintz" until her brother finally yelled at her, "Her name is Miss Heintz! She's not married!"

Of course his sister had to ask, "Why not?"

Hmm.  How to answer that question.  "I don't have a boyfriend, so I can't get married."
"Well how come you don't have a boyfriend?"
"I don't know any cute boys."
"Really?"
"All the cute boys I know are about this tall." (I held my hand about waist height).

The third grader piped up, "I'm cute!"  I just smiled at him. 
Then they noticed the flowers on my desk one of my 6th graders had picked from a bush on the way to school.  Of course they wanted to know who they were from.  Then the third grader announced he was going to bring me a rose tomorrow.  And his sister chimed in, "Me too!"  Then they both ran out to go play.

I don't know if they're going to bring me a rose or not, but either way, it was a pretty good end to my day.