Perfect Attendance

Does your school give out an award to kiddos with perfect attendance?  We do at our quarterly awards ceremony.  Last year, at the end of the  year, we had a big faculty luncheon on one of our early release days.  They gave out presents to all of the teachers who were leaving, and then, they gave out presents to those who had perfect attendance.  I was secretly SO excited!  I had been there every day, never missed!  But then, yep...they forgot about me!  It wasn't really a big deal, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed.  Well, some of my sweet teacher friends mentioned it to the office staff, and it was corrected the next morning on the morning news and I got a great Tervis Tumbler with a lid (not the exact same one, but it did have peace sings and a yellow lid).

This year, I've had perfect attendance as well.  That is, until today.  I've been sick for a little over a week and was hacking up a lung at work yesterday.  I knew I needed to go to the doctor...not so much because I felt super sick, but I knew something wasn't right.  This is pretty much how I've been since Friday:

Friday:  Sore throat.  I decide if it still hurts on Saturday, I'll go to the doctor.
Saturday:  Throat feels pretty good!  I don't!  I stayed in bed ALL DAY LONG and only got up to...well, let's not go there.  Let's just say, I was pretty hungry because I couldn't keep anything down. (tmi?).  If I still feel like this on Sunday, I'll go to the doctor.
Sunday:  Feel decent.  I'm a little achy, but I chalk that up to being in bed all day on Saturday.  I am coughing a lot though...hmm.  If this continues on Monday, I need to go to the doctor.
Monday: Still coughing. My throat hurts more in the morning and in the afternoon, but I'm able to teach all day.  I've decided though that since I'm still coughing, I need to go to the doctor.

Soooooo, off to the doctor I went after school.  My principal asked if I though I had strep and I just knew I didn't because I've had strep before, and it didn't feel like it.  I was also quite confident I was not contagious.  Well, I'm sure you've guessed it.  I have strep and am contagious until tonight.  SO, I had to stay home, mainly because I don't want to contaminate anyone else.  I could probably teach, but alas, my hopes and dreams of perfect attendance are out the door. 

That's sick, isn't it?!  I know, I know, I need to take care of myself, but I just had to make it 4 more days!  Plus, I break out into hives ANYTIME my kids have a sub.  They (in the past) just do NOT behave!  But, I heard from my associate teacher that they split my kiddos, because we really don't have subs this year unless you're out for at least 3 consecutive days.  But, that also makes me feel bad, because there's no work for my babies to do in the other teachers' rooms. 

Oh, and let me just add, today at my school, a local church is bringing shoes for every student that signed up for them (New Balance) and I think the teachers got gift cards.  I hope someone grabbed one for me!  We're also having lots of goodies for the teachers to eat at lunch and a white elephant gift exchange after school.  This reminds me of 4th grade.  When I was in 4th grade, I was absent the first day back from Christmas Break because I was sick.  Well, when I came back the next day, all excited to tell everyone about my Christmas and the great gifts I got, they had been there, done that.  I never got to share...wahh. 

Haha, okay, I'm clearly whiny today so sorry! 

I hope your week is going well and I can't imagine that some of you have to go to work next week.  Say what?!  When do you have to go back after the holidays?  I'm stoked that we get Monday January 2 off!  That's a whole extra day than we normally get!  Whoop Whoop!