SIDE SALAD - Everything crunchy is good.

I USED TO BE...

My little man's last day of third grade is today. Last night he brought home a paper that put in perspective how much upheaval - both subtle and cataclysmic - takes place in your life when you're 7, 8 and 9 years old.

Miss McKenzie, his teacher, asked them to come up with one or two things that had changed since they started third grade. The results were both hilarious and touching:

I used to... But now I...

By Miss McKenzie's 3rd Grade Class

I used to be shy, but now I say, "Hi." - Ashley
I used to have bad grades in math, but now I have good grades in math. - Aaron
I used to be a bad pitcher, but now I am a good pitcher. - Joe
I used to be messy, but now I'm neat. - Brian
I used to be selfish, but now I'm nice. - Brian
I used to crawl all the time, but now I walk all the time. - Matt
I used to flatter and deal with matter, but now I chatter and blabber. - Christian
I used to play soccer, but now I do diving. - Sarah
I used to be eight, but now I'm nine. - Elyse
I used to be sick, but now I'm not. - Elyse
I used to be picked on, but now no one picks on me. - Jordan
I used to be ugly, but now I am a big beautiful girl. - Jordan
I used to be with my friend Dani, but now I play with my friends Yuta and Choco. - Scott
I used to be seven, but now I am eight. - Alexis
I used to be lazy, but now I am neat. - Amber
I used to be dumb, but now I am smart. - Kurt
I used to be fat, but now I am skinny. - Kurt
I used to be quiet, but now I am loud. - Bridget
I used to be smart, but now I am smarter - Nathan
I used to be scared, but now I am not. - Brandi
I used to have long hair, but now I have short hair. - Madie
I used to be eight, but now I'm nine. - Devon
I used to be eight, but now I'm eight and a half. - Cortney
I used to be shy, but now I'm brave. - Devon
I used to have short bangs, but now I have long bangs. - Cortney
I used to be eight, but now I'm nine. - Christina
I used to like cats, but now I like dogs. - Nichole
I used to be seven, but now I'm eight. - Nichole
I used to be new to third, but now I'm not. - Travis
I used to be eight, but now I'm nine. - Travis
I used to have long, brown hair, but now I have short brownish-blondish hair. - Taylor
I used to be an only child, but now I'm an older sister. - Mi'chael
I used to be lonely, but now I have friends. - Jessica
I used to be new to teaching, but now I have some experience. - Miss McKenzie