Shannon Costello

Sunday Afternoon: All you can see is a quivering red lump, because I am hiding under my warmest blanket sobbing hysterically. Just a little overloaded from the previous week…

Tuesday Afternoon: I’m with a group of people committing the unpardonable sin— eating in the school Media Center. About 10 teachers from various schools are sitting in a workshop, learning how to help our future student teachers. It’s pretty interesting stuff, and I’m excited about it…

Wednesday Evening: I’m in Youth Group, contemplating my next move in Connect Four, my teenage opponent is waiting patiently, and then we suddenly notice that I have already lost…

Thursday Afternoon: I look up from my kneeling position next to a student’s desk, where I am trying to figure out why Word is behaving so strangely, in time to see that the reading team leader has just walked in. The kids in my reading class each have a laptop, and they are typing out their final drafts of their mini-textbooks. The room is humming with activity. The team leader can tell I’ve forgotten she is scheduled to talk to my kids about a writing contest. “Why don’t I come back after I visit Mr. W’s class?” I am relieved and grateful…

Friday Morning: I hear the clear, rippling teakettle! teakettle! call of a Carolina wren, and I scramble out of bed and creep quietly to the window. He is just outside, hopping about, closer and clearer than I have ever seen him…

Friday Night: I am sitting on the couch at my friend’s house. Behind me, on the table, is a partially completed banner for her church’s youth event (based on Hebrews 12:1-2), including my sketch of a parrot squawking “Sin entangles! Sin entangles! Awwwk! Sin entangles!” We are skimming through Star Wars Episode III, ruthlessly skipping to the end. In delighted anticipation of Anniken’s final scene most of us, adults and kids, are growlling, “I hate you! I hate you!” Recovering from a long week…