There's Always One

Each year there is one kid, they are a little harder to reach to capture to get "on board" but once you get them they are all yours. It was hard to see some students go this year, one caught me off guard. I've worked hard with all my students this year, but one took a lot of extra work. She had to come to a place where she believed in herself, she had to see what I saw, and sometimes that is hard to get from an eight year old. She wrote me the most wonderful handcrafted card:

The cover:
Your the only reason I enjoy school! (now, I wanted to tell her that she need to use you're and not your but just opened the card instead)

The inside:
I enjoy you! I will miss you! I love you, it's hard to let the best teacher in the whole world go! I really will miss you! I've tried my best just for you, not because I wanted the award it's because I love you and do everything I can for you!

She got me! As she left on Thursday, she said she didn't want to go knowing I would no longer be her teacher. She started to tear up, I told her that I loved her too and she needed to go be the fourth grader she has worked so hard to become. I got her this is true, but she got me too.

I also got a pretty cool, I wrote it by myself card from one of my top girls:

It has a quarter taped to it that says "A "token" of my love"
Dear Mrs. Eubanks,
I love you with all my heart. You're the sweetest person someone could ever meet. You were the best teacher ever. I bet Andrew & Ryan couldn't think of a better mom than you. You taught me a lot about learning & discipline. I walked into your class not having a clue on how to do multiplication now I'm waling out knowing them like that "snap!" With all my love, K

With those two cards a few others, who wouldn't love to be a teacher? I kept a few cards this year, which I never do, most cards meet the trash before I meet the car, but this year, this year is different.

Grease

What is it about the movie Grease that will instantly take you back into a different time of your life? I don't really remember watching this movie a lot as a kid, but I remember watching it a few times in middle school, mainly in seventh and eighth grade because I had a friend that loved stuff like that so I'd watch it with her. It was never my first pick of a movie to watch I'd rather watch The Dead Poet's Society or School Ties where no one sings and there is a lot of drama. But tonight before coming in to check my e-mail I found myself sitting on the couch watching the beginning scenes of Grease smiling from ear to ear. I can see my sister performing as the "bitch" and I remember thinking as she lay sideways on the bench saying, "Because he sounds like a drag." wow, she really nailed that, did her teacher know her that well to know she could perform that part without acting at all? Thankfully, over the years that has changed and my sister might actually have to act out that part now. Then instantly I am not sitting on my couch, rather I am at my friend's house all of 13 secretly dreaming that one day perhaps I could feel a love like that. I get thrown into my own summer love memories and suddenly I am awakened as Danny hits the high note on the bleachers. Then I wonder what is it about this movie? Isn't it strange what a movie can do to trigger random memories and emotions? Songs do that to me too...but that is a post all in itself.

Do you see that? That is light at the end of the tunnel. :)

Two days after today....oh, let's be fair, one and half days.

Kinsley

The real world consumes me lately. "I wish the real world would just stop hassling me..." love that song...and many others.

In the last almost two months the following has occurred:
big kid: in therapy again-play therapy this time-seems to be helping
small kid: finding his words, finally
husband: doing awesome
me: only 2 months away from not having a paycheck but trying to be faithful & hopeful that we will be provided for
family: having a good time making new memories together

Everything else has passed by in such a blur that I am not sure what all to report other than I feel like a groundhog poking my head out of my deep hole for a few seconds to get a look around to see if it is worth coming out yet or not.

Never liked the last few weeks of school, too much going on-it is exhausting...but only six more days to go, one of which is a half day. If you see me standing on the corner mid July it is just me trying to get the house payment together before August 1st. :) That makes ME laugh for so many reasons!