The Last Day

And it's OVER.

Not gonna lie, my kids were CRAZY today.  Who wouldn't be, you know?  They're getting out for summer, and as a kid, there was nothing, I mean nothing better than those 2 free months.  Then again, as a teacher, I feel the same :)

I thought I was going to make it without crying.  I was rushing around right before the dismissal bell rang and I thought maybe the preoccupation would keep me from crying.  However, as I was walking down the hall to the outside doors to wait for the carpool line (I was doing fine at this point - no tears) one of my girls whom I've had for 2 years turned around, red-faced, tears streaming down her cheeks.  I lost it.  Completely.  I started bawling almost immediately.  This was at 1:25.  I went back inside at 1:48 and was still crying.

Every time I would tell my kids goodbye, I cried.  When I told them to make sure to visit me next year, I cried some more.  When I told them to listen to the CD I made them when they missed me this summer, I cried.  And when their little faces were buried into me to hide their tears, oh boy did I cry.  I LOVE these kids.  If I've said it once, I've said it a million times, I just adore them.  I cannot imagine my life without them.

But let's backtrack a bit.  I said my kids were crazy, which was true; however, I'm pretty sure I caused it. Let's see:

- 7:45 (school starts)
    I had their end of the year gift on their desks.  That certainly riled them up - I knew it would.  I just wanted it to be a fun-filled day from the start, haha.
- 8:15 (donuts and orange juice)
     I bought donuts and orange juice for my kiddos this morning.  Nothing like starting off with some sugar - nothing says add to the craziness of the day quite like donuts.
- 9:00 (play outside)
     My 2nd grade teammate and I went outside with our kids and let them free play.  I bought them some stuff that they were dying to play with.  So, they had a lot of free time to just play - a rare occurrence.
- 9:35 (popsicles)
     What do you add to sugar?  More sugar of course!
- 12:55 (cupcake, Capri Sun, popcorn party)
     Yup, what's one more time of eating?

The day ended at 1:25 and the tears started flowing from both boys and girls in my classroom.  Honestly, I'm tearing up thinking about them right now.  I will miss them so much!  What a year.

The verse that I meditate on daily is "Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work that you have been given and then sink yourself into that."  Galatians 6:4-5 MSG.  I pray that I succeeded in this.  It's a big charge, but that is my daily prayer.  Bring on the next 32 years.  I love this career :)

Making carful explorations,
Amanda/Ms. B