Goodbye Sweet SE - Forever in my Heart

Unfortunately, not all of the class members were present when this picture was taken, but aren't they cute?!! (Ornery and mischievous at times, but charming and I wouldn't want it any other way!)

Four of these amazing kids, I had the pleasure of teaching in kindergarten, seventh grade and also in eighth grade. I think they are some of the very best kids in the world! I really hope they come to BGSU and major in Education because I'd be so lucky to get to teach them again. When they surprised me with this banner, with sweet messages they wrote on it, I heard one say, "I think she's going to cry." I tried to respond with humor, "No, let me get my camera first. I need a picture!"


As you can see my classroom is now bare. I'm so thrilled about starting my new job that I really didn't think I'd cry this year. (I tend to cry every year on the last day of school.) I was doing really well until this afternoon when a few very, very sweet moms stopped in to wish me well and then when school was out and some 8th grade girls came in to give me final hugs. Oh, I'm going to miss those students terribly! Not grading hundreds of essays, but definitely teaching really fun and hardworking young kiddos! I wish them the very, very best! Tomorrow, I say goodbye to my staff, remove everything from my computer and turn in my key. Twenty wonderful years, wow. Even though BGSU told me they'd have my office assigned by Friday and I can move in when I'm ready, it won't be easy waking out tomorrow. It's going to be very tough closing a huge chapter of my life! Seneca East - like a wonderful book that embraced our family during our most difficult nights and days, true friends and family! (PIC: 7th period class, 7th graders with the sweet sign they wrote messages on for me and I will treasure forever. I'm squeezed in that picture somewhere. Thanks, Tigers! You're the best! One sweetie wrote, "I'll never forget you, or Christi." I just wish she would have been in this picture with her classmates! How tall would she be? What would she have thought about my class? Hmmmmm.)

Poor Shayla has two more days of school. I hope she makes it, smile. (I didn't think she'd realize the SE kids were finished today, but because she's been keeping very close tabs with her friends, she knows. She asked me if she had to go the last two days and I told her I would be at home working on my dissertation so she might as well be at school learning something. She'll be glad when Thursday arrives and school is out for the summer. So will I! I have two big tasks: completing my dissertation and ordering Christi's cemetery plaque. (Yes, that second one was on my "to do list" last summer too - oops!)