"It'll have to be after 6:30 because we have to pick up my car at the mechanic and I have my pilates class."

"The car."

"The mechanic."

"Pilates class. MOM. Do you want me to repeat the whole thing?"

"OK. You ready? I said, I can't meet you until after 6:30 because my car is at the mechanic and I have my 5:30 pilates class."

"No, 6:30. Pilates is at 5:30."

"PILATES."

"MOM. Pilates, you know, it's like sit-ups and stuff... I told you about this; I've been taking the class for 3 weeks now."

"NO MOM, not Karate!"

Today I got a card from a student I taught as a freshman who is graduating this weekend:

Dear Mrs. L,

I just wanted to say thank you for everything that you have done for me. I know I only had you for one year, but that year had the most impact on me. Thanks to you I have just survived the hardest class at [High School] - AP English. I passed with flying colors and I owe a lot of my success to you. I was also section editor of an award winning yearbook for the past two years, and because of you I learned that English was my strong point and I tried to submerge myself in it. Having almost graduated and getting ready to head off to college, now is the time that I look back and reflect on high school. The one thing that stands out most in my mind is your class and how you made my freshman year amazing. So thank you for being you, and for being there for me when I needed it.

Alexandra

I'm not opening comments because the point of this post isn't to solicit praise. (Lord knows my head is big enough as it is, y'all.) I just want to document this because notes fade and get misplaced, and this is one I want to keep and read again.