Asia and Chocolate

:-(

I think my heart is going to break from missing those kiddos so much. They had camp this past week and I LOVE camp. It's so much fun just to hang out with the kids and be fun and silly together. They are growing up without me!!!!!

Remembering ...

Most days I think I live in denial. I try not to think about the emotional transition I've made in the last few months.

But then I see their faces and I realize that I won't see them at school in the morning, or I won't be spending every day with them this week and my heart hurts so bad that I can feel it in my stomach. They are my babies and I'm going to miss every moment of the coming school year.

No matter what was going on for me during the past two years. I might have been tired, hungry, homesick, cranky, not yet had caffeine that day, whatever hard thing might be going on, walking into that classroom put a smile on my face. Sure there were days when I got mad or got upset with them, but for the most part they melted my heart. I miss them so much and I hope they know how much they mean to me.

(This picture was taken during my first year and six of those students were in my class both years. It's so hard to imagine them going into the 8th grade this year ... they grow up so fast!)

Last day of school and fun day ...

School is officially over. Well, except for the piles of grading I have left to do.

Yesterday I took my homeroom class to the local amusement park for our final fun day ... we had a blast. I even overheard one of them saying that it was the best day of their lives. HA! We almost didn't go because I'd heard it was really dirty and smelly. But my roommate went on Monday and said it was no dirtier than any other amusement park. So, we went and I'm so glad we did. There was hardly anyone there, so the longest line we waited in was probably only 30 minutes long. And it only rained for about 10 minutes.

Yesterday the yearbook came in ... what a relief! So after exams everyone was running around and around getting autographs before everyone left school. I'm sooooo glad it's finished and there are only a handful of mistakes that made it in ... and nothing life-shattering.

I'm going up to school later to get some more signatures and sing some more books (and work on grading, and return my textbooks, etc.) A bunch of kids are at school today and tomorrow because WEST SIDE STORY is on Saturday! I'm so excited about the production this year and I can't wait to see it. Even better is that my best friend April, from Franklin, will be getting in at midnight tomorrow, so she'll be watching it with me.

And then Sunday morning is BALI ... oh, I am so excited!

I have so many mixed emotions now that school is finished. Some of my students won't be attending WEST SIDE STORY so I had to say goodbye to them already. So sad. :( But the best part is the great presents! YAY! Now I just have to find a way to fit them all in my suitcase. :)

Pictures from the amusement park yesterday:

Kimberly and Dea as we wait in our first ride of the day. Everyone still looks fresh and clean!

Nita thought it was funny. :)


Having a rest from all the walking and talking. :)

Chachi thinks it's winter time ... and that he's a model.

Jeremy and I are about to flipped and turned in every direction ...

The view from the top of the ferris wheel ...


In the line ... for the next-to-last ride. YAY!

After the last ride ... the WET ONE! So long grade seven ... have a great summer!

Thank you for blessing my life ...

During our class time on Sunday, my Sunday School kids thanked me for teaching them and prayed for me. The goodbyes aren't getting any easier and I've still got 18 more days to go.

(Sorry the quality is so bad, and you might not be able to understand them ... but I'm not sure how to make it any better. :) )

Somehow they have wriggled their way into the depths of my heart ...

 

(L-R, T-B): Burger King with some of my 7th graders on our fun day; my 11th and 12th grade Latin class at the graduation banquet ... I gave them certificates for finishing year one of Latin; 5th grade girls cling to me for dear life; Jessica (7th grade) and me; this is my little monkey bug Jason ... isn't he the cutest little thing??; my kids in Sunday School on my last day teaching them. :-(

Some pictures ...

Marvelin, Neysa, Ellena and Danielle ... they've been in my class for these two years. Love you girls!!

Their artwork ...

The wisdom of a 4th grader

I wish I had been more diligent in writing down the humorous and oftentimes hysterical things my students sometimes say. (For example, the summary of the Parable of the Lost Sheep from last year.)

In March I took over another teacher's class when she went on maternity leave. This class is absolutely ... what would you call it? Vibrant? They are so full of imagination and ideas. This one kids answer always sound like they came from some movie or TV show ... wild imaginations.

So today we were discussing a story about a man who went on a vacation to Mexico. While he was there he was falsely accused of smuggling drugs and had to escape from prison. This led to discussions on what is smuggling, and would you break out of prison if you were in the same position, etc.

So a little girl whom we'll call Julie had the following conversation with me ...

Julie*: "Do you know that squirrels and rabbits sometimes eat drugs?"

Me: "Oh really? No, I didn't know that. How do you know?"

Julie: "Well, the smuggler puts drugs in the ground to hide it and the squirrels and rabbits smell the drugs and eat them."

Me: "Did you read that somewhere?"

Julie: "No, I just know it."

Me: "Hmmm, I see."

What can you say to that? No discussion would ever convince her that rabbits and squirrels do not, in fact, take drugs. Maybe she's right? I don't know. These conversations happen all the time.

A while back in another class I had this conversation.

Erin*: "Miss Laura, did you see that Michael Jackson is now a Muslim?"

Me: "No, I did not see that."

Erin: "Well, I'm glad he's not a Christian!"

Me: "Oh? Why is that?" (expecting her to say something like, he's a bad example, or has a criminal record, or something along those lines.)

Erin: "Because he had plastic surgery."

Rebecca*: "And because he's the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby."

Me: "Hmmm, interesting."

* Names have been changed to protect the cute, yet misinformed.

 

My not-so-little kids

These are mine ... my form class (homeroom) and 7of them and I have done life together over the past two years. I love you guys! 

Aren't they adorable??

All in a day's work ...

It starts out innocently enough.

"Ms. Laura, how old are you?"

"I'm 26."

Wait for it ... wait for it.

"Mmmmm, Ms. Laura? How come you're not married?"

It never fails. Every. Single. Day. that I'm at school, at least one person asks me these exact questions. I've started to just ask the second question after they ask the first. Where do they learn this stuff??

And about last night's post ... I'm fine, really. I just was so tired and still had so much to do. Found out this morning that the reason I was so tired was because I now have a cold. Oh well, such is life. Today was quite productive and tomorrow is my light day at school, so everything is OK. :)