62 kids and one Mr., all with something up lots of sleeves.

Mr. O kicked me out of class yesterday. He sent me to my office, and while I was in there, grading, it felt like I was being punished. I watched the clock. I scoffed. I needed to go back to the classroom to get my gradebook, but I couldn't. Like sneaking out for a snack or something. But your parents are always watching. Get back in your room and think about what you did! Grounded.

He called me back at the end of class, five minutes left. The kids were arranged for a group photo and there was a spot for me. I walked in, they clapped and cheered. They wrote WE LOVE MS. P all over the board. I told them to stop cheering for me, or they were all gettin' Fs. I didn't do anything, I said. We posed. We took a picture. When we took the funny one they jutted thumbs out and played with my hair. They said we love you.

Today they gave me a card. They presented it to me and said: we love you. You're our favorite. The card was giant. It said THANK YOU on the front, and inside, they'd all signed. On a bluebird cartoon in the card, they added high heels and gold chains to make it gangsta. On the card they said: we love you. You're our favorite. I said: you didn't have to do this, at all. One boy said actually, we did, Mr. O made us. Mr. O and I made eye contact, and then I laughed for 5 minutes. One girl had drawn the pet dinosaur I assigned to the class one day. A t-rex, named Darrell. One student signed his name your student, Ben F. One student wrote Ms. P, dawg, dudette. Students wished me luck. Students said, you have the best shoes. Students said, we're jealous that other students get you. A student drew an amazing picture of herself, and then a speech bubble with just a heart inside.

And I get to do it all over again, 8th hour.

This is the greatest thing I've ever done. Please don't make me leave.