My Students Saw "Kendra" and I Saw Cody

For readers that do not remember what I do for a living, I work as an English teacher in a rural school in west central Indiana.  One of the new classes that I am teaching this semester is an introductory debate course--the first to be seen at my school.  I love that I am able to bring new electives into my work environment and expose students to different sides of English, and working with debate takes me back two years to my senior year of college.  At that point in time, I was a coaching assistant for West Lafayette's debate program (which, for those unfamiliar with debate in Indiana, is a seriously competitive program), and I enjoy teaching more now that I am able to bring research and persuasion skills into my classroom with an enthusiasm that only debate can instill.

Last weekend, my students and I took a short bus (complete with a plethora of problems from randomly dimming headlights to a slipping transmission) to my husband's town in order to compete at the local high school.  I truly enjoyed being able to take my students to see my weekend world.  They loved how big the "city" was, how many shops and restaurants there were to see while driving through the downtown area, and that they could ask for a review of a given business and--ninety percent of the time--receive an opinion from someone who has been a patron of the establishment.  I acted as a tour guide, telling them where I frequent, which beautiful buildings to note, and what area of town I call my home away from home.

As much as I enjoyed chauffeuring my students around town, my time in the city was bittersweet.  After waking up at 3:30am to get my students to the debate tournament on time, knowing that there was a comfy bed just across town that almost literally had my name on it was torture.  Added to the fact that I knew I wouldn't get to see much of my hubby, I was all but ready to tell the kids to drive on home while I reveled in the comfort of an apartment in which I spend too little time.  Passing our Saturday market, our Sunday coffeehouse, and the gardens in which we like to eat brunch and people-watch made me especially other-homesick.

Thankfully, Cody made the fantasies of abandoning my students to their own devices in order to have my normal weekend disappear.  He was able to support me in my new coaching position by judging the congress section of the debate.  Even though he had worked third shift that night, he came to the high school right after he clocked out and was ready to go.  His dedication to fulfilling one of my needs with regard to work is just another example of how considerate and selfless Cody is.  Since last weekend was his weekend off, he even drove back to our hometown and stayed with me for the duration of Saturday and Sunday.  Granted, my fifteen hour day on Saturday put me back home at what seemed like an ungodly hour of the...evening (especially after having driven for six and a half hours that day), I managed to find a second wind when I reached home solely due to the prospect of having time with my husband.

Unfortunately, next weekend brings another debate competition.  I am looking forward to bringing new debaters to a tournament--and those who went last weekend can attest to how wonderful and awe-inspiring of an experience one's first debate competition is--but I am loath to lose an entire weekend with my husband. He works all weekend, so there is no chance of him sneaking home this time.  I suppose I just need to think positively.  In seventeen days, we will have a long weekend for Thanksgiving, and I already know what I am thankful for.