Goodbye, dear S.E.

Shayla wanted to take the camera Friday to take pictures of all of her classmates so I let her. She took about 77 pictures. (Like mother, like daughter - haa haa!) Here are the three pictures she was in. I thought they were all "great silly kid - happy tests are over" pictures!
It was a pretty sad day, but I think also a very good one. She asked Thursday night if she could buy ice cream for a whole table full of girls at lunch and we told her yes. (The last time I put money on her lunch account, I did not realize she would be switching schools in a matter of days!) She also made certificates for many friends and labels that said, "I'm not moving; I'm just switching schools. We can still keep in touch" and she included her telephone and email address. I could not believe all of the sweet things her friends did for her Friday - and how tearful they all were. This is truly a knife through my heart, yet I think it may very well be a much better place for Shayla to be - going to school where she lives (a novel idea, hee hee) and to a much bigger school district with many more opportunities and offerings.
These two have been through so much together! I know they will really miss each other! Shayla was only three when Christi was diagnosed with cancer. Caroline babysat for Shayla, dressed up like Scooby Do characters even, took her to the zoo, did fraction math with candy bars, took her trick-or-treating, etc., etc., etc. while we needed to be with Christi.

I will never forget May of 2006 when we were all in Philly together (as Caroline came to help me out with Shayla while Shayne was back home working) and just the two of them were booked on flights out of Philadelphia to fly back home when suddenly Christi got discharged and I called them, delayed at the airport to say, "Come back to the hospital we're all taking an Angel Flight home together TODAY!" (She had been entertaining little Shayla by playing "Catmonopoly" on the floor of the airport.) Caroline is an amazing teacher! She is a gem and I hope we will still see her often! S.E. has such wonderful and hard working teachers and staff. We will all miss those incredible people so very, very much!

Now here's for another great blessing! On Thursday, that sweet girl from Shayla's new class called and invited her to come over on Friday. After Shayla was finished with dinner at the Mill she finally had that play date. (And she had a ball! When Shayne went to pick her up last night and came back home without her he joked, "She's not having any fun at all......she needs her pillow, pjs, and a toothbrush. They invited her to stay overnight and she really wants to." Feeling like we know the wonderful family, we were both totally fine with that so he let her.) I cannot possibly thank her kind parents enough for having their daughter call Shayla like that.

When we went to pick her up before her horse lesson this morning, the sweet mom opened the door saying, "I'm so proud of you on your new job." I could only say, I'm so proud of YOU!" In the midst of raising five young children, she got her doctorate and now is a professor at the university - incredible! She kindly offered to help out when we needed it by having Shayla over. I kept commenting to Shayne last night, "WE should have taken all of the children and given them a break! They probably never get one!" I am still just shocked at their kindness. I'm certain Monday will not be as scary now that Shayla knows another girl in her new class. May God be with Shayla this week and help her transition to the new school.