Those last days...

Through out the school year, there are days when I feel like we are just surviving. There are days when I feel like I'm really soaking it all in and appreciating the moments. There are days that move at a snail's pace and those that go with lightning speed. When you put all those days together, before you know it, it is the last days and the school year is over, just like that.

The end of this school year was particularly emotional for me. I felt like I could burst into tears every single day of that last week. I struggled to keep it together and was unsuccessful many times. The smallest detail could bring me to tears in an instant. I like to take pictures of the details at the end of school. These are the details I want to remember and the ones my babies will appreciate one day when they are older. I know I'd give anything to be able to look back and see details from the classrooms I sat in day after day, instead of only having those pictures in my mind.

So this year, when that last week rolled around, I had Claudia moving up to 4th grade, Cooper graduating from Kindergarten, two sweet ladies retiring after 35+ years teaching, and the thoughts of Sydney becoming a senior. All of that was a lot for me to wrap my heart around in one week and some days, I'm still struggling with those thoughts. Here are the kids on their last Monday in 3rd grade and Kindergarten just as we headed off to school.

Claudia had a Book Buddy Reception given by Mrs. Sabra and Mrs. Kippie, our reading coaches. Claudia was one of the third grade students who went down to first grade for 30 minutes every morning to work with a struggling reader to help give her extra practice reading orally. Some of the things the little girl said to Claudia were priceless. Claudia was delighted when her book buddy made the benchmark in oral reading on the last testing. It always amazes me at the teachers who say they'd never encourage their children to become teachers. I absolutely encourage Claudia to be a teacher if she still wants to when she is older. I think it is a noble profession and there is absolutely nothing else in the world I'd rather do. I would do exactly this if I had to choose all over again. I pray Claudia and Cooper will follow God's heart and find the future that will bring them joy and fulfillment.

On Tuesday, I went to see Claudia and they were outside on the playground. This is very uncommon for Mrs. Head because she never wastes any of her instruction time.  She had taken them out for just a little while that morning to have some free time and they were so happy. Trey always jumps in front of my camera. I will miss him when he goes to HMS.

Claudia is just barely missing being as tall as her teacher. Mrs. Head has loved on this girl and taken such good care of her. Claudia is going to miss her so much. She is one of her favorites for sure.

I got Claudia to go inside with me to take some shots of her classroom. Her name was outside the door from when Mrs. Head had displayed her AR points.

This is her desk where she sat for a whole year learning so much from her wonderful teacher.

Her cubby holding her backpack and lunchbox.

Mrs. Head takes their picture on the first day of school and displays them on the cabinets with their AR point cards.

The outside of Mrs. Head's door...

The class list...

 Then I went to Cooper's class to discover they were not at KES. They were at HHS practicing for graduation. I took the opportunity to snap some shots of his room as well.
The outside of Mrs. Nolan's door...

The class list...

The schedule my Cooper followed everyday...

Cooper's cubby...

The teaching table where the magic happened everyday. It is truly magic to watch a child learn to read and Cooper is leaving this room a reader. That is such a blessing to me as I work with students who struggle to learn everyday. I'm so thankful for what Mrs. Nolan did at this table everyday with Cooper.

I caught a little cutie getting off the bus returning to KES from graduation practice...

Heading down the hall to pick up lunches...

This picture squeezes my heart...oh how I will miss having them both together at KES...

I went to Cooper's room to sit with him while he ate lunch.

 His daily lunch...Doritos, turkey, crackers, and yogurt.

He picked out a gift for Mrs. Nolan completely on his own.

A bracelet and earrings made her very happy...

I am SO VERY thankful Cooper spent a year with this precious lady. She was a gift from God this year and exactly who Cooper needed to guide him through his very first year. I will always be indebted to the precious teachers who gave so much to my children. Cooper just wishes she'd go to first grade with him...and I agree!

Mrs. Nolan puts on her earrings and the girls gather for a picture with Cooper, which they asked me to take...oh my, he is quite popular with the girls!