User blog:DogwoodFlowers/hEY LOOK IM SMILING AND IM CRYING

WHOOPS breaking the monthly 2 blog limit but I can't contain myself so I'll go ask Rainy to delete one of my blogs right this instant

soooooo like six, almost seven years ago (dang that's about half my lifespan), I had a really awesome second-grade teacher who showed me reading isn't just homework, and she had us write stories. (oh man mine were so crappy, they were about penguins eating ice cream and built full-on boats out of snow in a single day that could float and sail without sails and didn't rely on breeze and they knew how to use it without any prior seafaring knowledge.......seven-year-old logic XD)

Anyways, back in September I emailed her being an emotional person thanking her for that. (She moved to Paraguay after she retired to do missionary work). So here's a copy-and-past, names-edited-out version of my email (oh, and prepare for a very mature and emotional dogfood- who knew i could be like that?):

"Hi, this is (Dogfood). I was in your second-grade class back at (insert Dogfood's elementary school here) about six years ago.

I don't know if you'll actually see this message, but I really want to thank you. You showed me that reading and books are actually fun and that they aren't just boring, annoying homework assignments.

Writing fanfiction, which is creating your own story in the setting that another book has created, is something that I love to do. One day, I hope I'll become a published author. I have a dream, and it's amazing to pull myself out of the moment for a second and realize that I actually have a dream. Most kids my age don't. (I wonder if I'm taller than you now).

I hope you're enjoying the work you're doing. I really hope that it's your passion like writing is mine. Your blog seems to say that you enjoy it!

Who knew some classwork assignments would put so much meaning into my life? Again, thank you so much. You're probably the best teacher I've had in my life."

YEP LOOK AT WHO'S VERY SENTIMENTAL AND DOESN'T GIVE A CRABCAKE THAT SHE IS (okay maybe a little self-conscious but whatever)

Anyways, she replied today! And I cried all over Legend bc it was in the falling tears danger zone, which I already cried all over bc Marie Lu is an amazing author, so now that book has double the emotional Dogfood on it.

she's happy, said she's glad she chose teaching as a profession, is proud that she could make me love reading and writing so much, now lives a couple hours away and wants to meet up again. Oh, and she cried too. Great minds think alike and cry alike.

now dogfood is off to go muse over what the fudgesicle has just happened and put off her math homework until tomorrow at lunch (shhhh my second grade teacher doesn't need to know that hush hush)