The return of ....THE TEACHER!

I have survived the reported war zone! I was shocked at the damage done to my classroom during my absence. A bar stool was destroyed (not in a bar room fight), my poet-tree was short a few branches, papers stacked, and 2,000,000,000 plus notes and referrals. That was it. I was expecting blood stains, ripped ceiling tiles, desks upside down, and spit wads all over the walls.
The students........came into the room quietly, sat down, and got to work. Not one office referral written, not one phone call home, not one discipline log filled out. Everyone was quiet and participated. I took off my army boots, helmet and bullet proof vest pretty quickly. We read 2 chapters of a book, did vocabulary work, a couple of sentences and no one offered a death threat. So.......where were the kids I have been told were "holy terrors"? The kids I was receiving prayers for because I was the teacher, the kids that would lead me to drinking and drugs. I checked the room number....it was mine. Turned on the computer...it took my password. Sat in the chair that I bought, used the lamps I bought and keep bulbs in. Yep........it was the right room. AND the students in the room matched the roll sheet I had to turn in. And at 3:25, I hadn't taken up drinking. I didn't need to take up smoking or drugs. I had a wonderful day back in the "real world". I even ran to catch someone, and didn't dribble! The only wound from the day was the paper cut I got opening a card on my desk. I put a band aide on it just for looks! I did risk broken ribs from the hugs I received. Many of those prefaced with "I am so glad you are here".
It WAS good to be back.