why did you become a teacher?

If you had asked me why I became a teacher when I was 23 I would have said because its always what I wanted to do... I didn't necessarily love kids or thought I had a calling.. Its just what I wanted to do.... if you asked me when I was 33 I would have said because I think I'm good at it... it supports my family, I take pride in it, and through my travels, I've learned things that have made me better... now... at 43... teaching is so cloudy!!! I keep getting evaluated on ONE TEST my students took in December (3 months ago)... What is ironic... I really like this particular class... you can also use the word peculiar... they are a group I'll tell ya... one is like a lab puppy all day jumping on you, another is like auditioning for a Disney show all day long, another is obviously VERY used to getting all her parents attention all day and cannot understand why I'm not fascinated by every word that comes out of her mouth, another barely sleeps at night, and yet another looks like he should be in fifth grade and its easy to forget hes only 7.... but this motley crue has really grown on me... and I look at them as little beings that I affect every day... not a number on a computer...but my job depends on that number on the computer... so where does that leave them??? on the computer..... its  a sad state... Illinois I mean... SAD