From left to right, and from memory, Nate Tatsumi, Cory, Mark (his head is partially covered), Ben, Nice Sioux Center Lady, Skyler, Pen*, Logan, Marker* (in the Timberwolves jersey), Christian (to his right), Nathan Pfeifle (pronounced puh-fay-fuh-lay), Brent (also sporting the mysterious gang symbol and Ryen (holding the 12-pack of Sprite that was, admittedly, bigger and better)
*Pen and Marker, Ben and Mark, are roommates
Only two of these kids are thirteen. The rest of them are twelve. Some of them are more competitive or threatened than others, but in this brief moment... look how happy they are! Hooray! More pop! Thanks lady!
They look really sweet in this photo and some of them actually are, but it has not been an easy week. For now, I'll just say that the last three days have left me constantly attempting to compare my own seventh-grade behavior. To be fair, it should be factored in that Dale and I have been running around campus during the day, putting together footage for the video (that must be 15 minutes of DVD ready for Parents' Night on Friday) and then I assemble Team Chuck Norris alongside the other groups and night activities.
You remember these experiences, right? At the very least, you can imagine the age and the fluttering emotions. There have been tears for various reasons. Friendships have formed, cluttered, picked up and glued together etc.
Anyway, I hope I'm learning stuff, but you know you're really tired when you run around the sun all day, straining into a viewfinder and then chase the rambunctious bunch around from as early in the morning as you can until taking advantage of the empty Mac lab at night... that you lay in bed dead-tired, slowly singing LCD Soundsystem to yourself and you cannot freaking fall asleep.
Oh, yes. And the kids too. I hope they have a good time.
"The time has come. The time has come. The time has come today. Bells."
clinkity clinkity clinkity
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i can't wait for baby alvins someday!!! because then they will be twelve-year-old-alvins!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHAHA! I helped with DD one year. It's crazy times!
ReplyDeleteI know some of those kids from my 6th grade 60 hours this past spring. What an age... Some of those boys pretended to hate me, when actually the songs they made up about me only convinced me otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI am excited that you got to hang out with them. If you are a reflective person, which I believe you are, you can learn so much from those younger and much younger than you.