Yesterday I had very light boots. That is a way of saying "I feel happy," plagiarized from the precocious 9-year-old narrator of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. This book is the most recent audio accompaniment to my 40-minute commute, so its metaphors have been sneaking into my consciousness and my vocabulary the past few days. I couldn't think of a better way to describe my good mood.
It started last night when I got home from work and saw the over-sized envelope stuffed into our under-sized mailbox. I knew what it was, and I had been waiting. Not even the crease across the envelope clearly marked "Important Documents: DO NOT BEND" could dampen my enthusiasm. The paper inside designated me as fully certified to teach History and Government 6-12 AND German K-12. That's right. I am now a Highly Qualified Teacher according to the State of Kansas. With that, I have done my part to move Topeka West High School toward that ever-derided and yet ever-coveted designation of having made Adequate Yearly Progress. It feels good to be official.
No doubt my good mood is also thanks to the severely beautiful spring weather. Thanks to a recent stretch of severely depressing winter weather, today was a shock to my state of mind; a good kind of shock. Tromping across my side of Lawrence in my Friday-casual outfit of Go-Charger-purple t-shirt, jeans, and yes, lightweight boots, I soaked in my surroundings. I felt the overwhelming urge to give thanks. The impending sunset threw a crisp glint over the sparkly-haired children ignoring playground equipment in favor of digging in the dirt, the neighbors walking eager winter-coated dogs, my friends drinking Pabst and grilling chicken in their front yard. We are lizards on warm rocks coming outside for the first time in months. We are trying to do at once all of the things we've been wishing and waiting for. It's been a long winter, and we're all ready to put away our heavy boots.
