i touched a snail

i had my last 2011/2012 duty day on april 30.  gabe toured me around the classroom and a new activity had popped up.  instead of the usual water table, there was a table full of something gross and slimey.  of course my first reaction was "ew, gross! what is it?!"  one of his teachers was nearby and told me it was shaved soap and water that the kids had made.  the teacher realized where gabe's cleanliness comes from.  i never thought of it before, but i myself don't like to be dirty (unless it's a planned occasion and i'm dressed for it). so gabe and i gingerly grabbed the measuring cups and carefully scooped the slimey soap in the water table and let it run down the mirrors.  and even though it's soap and water, we still went to the bathroom to thoroughly wash our hands with proper soap and water.

also new at preschool for spring were the snails.  again my reaction was less than favourable for such impressionable kids. all the other little boys were fighting over who could "race" the snails down the number track.  and then there was gabe...standing back...beside me (scrunching my face in grossness).  at this point it became clear i had to take action.  in all my 34 years, this was the first time i touched a snail.  i picked it up by its shell, and put it on the track to race down the line.  and then i did it again.  and again.  all the while i had a smile frozen on my face as i pretended to enjoy touching it and using my happy voice as they passed each number.

i've come a long way since that day at the aquarium in the tropic zone, when a butterfly flapped by and grazed my arm and i screamed in horror. turns out it wasn't a butterfly after all...it was my camera strap swinging around.