Shay's Last Day of 3rd Grade

(PIC: Christi, 3rd grade, last day of school, age 8. Because Christi was at CHOP in Philly for the last day of fourth grade, this 3rd grade one was her last last day of school ever.)

(PIC: Shayla's last day of 3rd grade) I can't believe my youngest is now a 4th grader! (Certainly I'm not THAT old! hee hee.) When we transitioned to our new k-12 school in January, Shayla and I started traveling a new road to school/work. This road takes us right by a little restaurant, "The Corner". The very first day we drove by I said, "Shayla, let's treat ourselves to breakfast on the last day of school." She thought it was a good idea too and a couple of times each week, we've commented on the fact we'd stop for breakfast at a restaurant! Well, today we did!

As always, the last day of school is bittersweet; today perhaps even more so. During my lunch break, I worked at my desk and watched Christi's classmates enjoy their sixth grade picnic out in the courtyard. More tears fell than papers were graded! Next year will perhaps be my biggest challenge, something I've been dreading even before her death as I used to just think about it. In August, I will begin teaching Christi's classmates, and not Christi. That continues to feel like a knife ripping through my heart. She always wanted me to be her teacher and I never was. When she was to enter my kindergarten, testing and administrators said she should go directly to first grade, I knew making it to the seventh grade would be tough for someone with neuroblastoma and I fully realize as an 11 year old she may have changed her mind, but......(OK, enough babbling!)

Regardless, Shayla - as always - made me smile today! After school, she gave me her grade card. All A's, all year (except spelling, but remember she's been diagnosed with a form of dyslexia and it's hard to spell when you have that working against you). She wasn't tardy at all and only missed one day of school (to attend a conference with me in Kentucky). All of this made me count my blessings. You can't put a price on having a smart and healthy child. God is good!

I hope all of my students and their families have a safe and glorious summer! It was very hard to say goodbye to some of them today. I signed shirts, yearbooks and posed for pictures. I received word two days ago that I'm having quite the schedule change for next year (teaching 6th, 7th and 8th grade langugage arts, five preps - four of them new) so I'm glad I'll get to have some of them again! We do have tremendous students!!!!

(PIC: An oldie but a goodie!)