Goodbye School, Hello Summer

School's out for summer.

I'm out for good.

Or for sad.

Or for a new chapter. 

I am always very melancholy the last few days of the school year so this sadness is right on schedule.  We spend a lot of time with the kids...bonding and teaching and loving them.  And then they're gone.  Like little puppies that are ready to be weaned from their mama....those kindergartners are ready for first grade.  

And my co-workers...like combat soldiers in the trenches together...we have a connection.  This kindergarten team is my team.  They are my people.  My tribe. My troop.

And so the sadness I am feeling is just "end of school" sadness.  Topped with some "I'm not part of that team anymore because I resigned" sadness.


Just so you know, I'm really okay.  I am.  I know good things are in store for me...because while I may be a daily pessimist (or realist, as I refer to myself), I'm a lifetime optimist. Things always work out.



I am one to claim "happy" and name it when it happens...so I must claim "sad" and name it when it happens.  I am not a cryer.  And right about now I could use a really good, ugly crying spell.  I need the release.

I took a few pictures the last couple of days of the things I love about kindergarten that I will miss the most.  I wish I could capture the noise that comes with these photographs. Because it's the noise I love.

Goodbye snaggle toothed grins.

(I had to fight the impulse to pull many of those.)

Goodbye creative messes and coloring outside of the lines.

Goodbye little eyeglasses and Sponge Bob glasses cases. 

Goodbye sassy sandals and polished toes.

Goodbye little boys who write on furniture with crayons....and sign their name.

Goodbye perpetually untied shoes.

Goodbye sweet little girl who minds so well.

Goodbye little flip-flops that have been played in so hard...

and that last little bit of toenail polish hanging on for dear life.

Goodbye sparkly shoes.

Goodbye checkered shoes.

Goodbye fashion statements.

Goodbye princess accessories.

It's been a great ride.

*****

My team treated me to a fajita dinner at one of their homes. I received lots of "beach themed" gifts and cards full of kind words.  We had fun...as we always do. I appreciate it so much because I know how hard it was to coordinate that gathering and purchase the gifts and food at this hectic time of year.  Just that they gave up their evening to be there is appreciated. 

Love in action.

And I will have the cutest beach towels, beach hats, beach bags, plastic wine glasses

 and magazines in Destin this summer.

One teacher apologized for not going with the beach theme...but instead gave me a cross for my wall. She typed a long letter to me about why she gave me the cross...

Part of her letter quoted...

The girls may be upset with me because my gift does not really fit the theme they were working toward.  When I thought of a gift for you I could not help but think of the words you said so often because they hold so much meaning to me.

"This is our ministry, you would say."

"They are only five.  They have only been on this earth for five years."

(my words quoted by her)

*****

Let that be what I left behind.

Don't ever forget...they are only five.

And you have been given this ministry because He knew you could do it well.