My kids think that when I blow my nose I sound like a goose.  Or an elephant, Miss B.  You sound like that too.  One that has his trunk tied in a knot.  We've sanitized.  Everything.  Knobs, desks, hands, walls, pencil shavings.  Our eyes are weepy.  We're eating throat lozenges like they're candy.  The poor student on trash duty this week is taking out bags of crumpled kleenex  by the armful.

Last week I walked around with my scarf pulled over my mouth.  Miss B you look like a bandit!  Miss B, what are you doing?  Kids I have not been sick in two years.  I do not get sick.  And kids, you have germs.  They laughed all over me.  Poof right in my face.

And so here we are.  Sniffling and wiping and sneezing together. 

At lunch the thermoses of soup come clanking out.  The ones with lids that mothers twisted on tight, tight, tight, so not a drop would spill.  Tight, tight, tight.  All seven of them.

During recess kids knock into the wall and each other and stumble all over.  They talk extra loud because their ears are stuffy now too and Miss B, why is the room so dizzy?

Honeys, my life has been dizzy for years.  Dizzy and off kelter and upside down.  Kids you better get used to it, because our God likes to shake us.   Miss B, can't we just watch a movie?  Can't we turn the lights off and have a break?  Listen darlings, you have to keep going.  Even when you feel like laying down and giving up, you have to keep moving.  Because eventually your world will be steady again, and when it is you'll be glad you're still standing up straight. 

So.  Get out your grammar.  And lets take those nouns for a ride.  I'll put on some music, you can dance along in your seats.