End of the School Year

Friends,

School is about to start again,

and I haven't even caught you up

on the end of the last school year.

 

Don't ask me what I did all summer.

I'll be getting to that shortly.

 

Lily is going to Middle School.

The Big Deal.

 

Charlotte is also going

 to a new school.

 

Her kindergarten through second grade,

school district has another school

for third through fifth grade.

 

We celebrated the end of her school building, and school year with a school musical.

 

She begged to be in the musical.

 

It wasn't easy to let her be in it, because... I

 have a job, basically.

 

I had to have a conversation

with the music teacher to say,

she might miss some practices.

 

That's ok, she's welcome.

 

 

What working parent can commit to picking up their kid at 3:30 every Thursday for weeks?

 

Well, I guess that is me.

 

Thank goodness for my flexible job, schedule, boss and company!

 

I was able to arrange my schedule,

and Charlotte got to participate in the musical.

 

Even when its easier to say NO to things,

there are times I am glad I say

"how could we do this?" instead.

 

This was one of those times.

 

Here's the Panda of the show.

 

Lily's favorite animal, of course.

And Lily's outfit.

 

Little sisters are full of flattery

and adoration for big sisters.

 

So sweet.

 

I have had the gift of knowing all these cute little classmates for the past 3 years.

First, I was invited to a field trip where I taught a classmate how to say her name in sign language, on the bus ride.

This resulted in the teacher calling me to see if I could come teach the whole class sign language,
after she heard the kids talking about it.

 I replied, um yes, but I only know the alphabet (minus q),

 3 words
(dance, thank you, and Philadelphia) 

and one John Denver song
(Sunshine).

She said perfect,
I'll queue up the John Denver,
can't wait!

So I taught them exactly that.

I was so nervous to start.
All these little wide eyes on the carpet in front of me, expecting me to perform and teach them,
something I barely know.

The  John Denver music was so loud,
that the librarian and special ed teachers
walked in and started taking
 my sign language class too.

I was freaking out, but no one noticed,
they just smiled and loved everything I did,
even when it was wrong.

Are you kidding me?

I want to live in
Ms. Lundell's second grade classroom.

One boy (Dominic) asked for my autograph,
 on the alphabet sheet,
that I prepared for them
 in case they wanted to learn "q" on their own, since I already knew I forgot it,
and I might mess up my whole demonstration.

Then all the kids asked for my autograph.

It was insane second grade love for me,
just for showing up and sharing something silly, that I remembered (minus the "q")
from my youth.
 

 

I was invited back to Charlotte's class for an End of the Year Party that I could not attend,
due to a miscommunication
 between Ms. Lundell and I.

So then Ms. Lundell asked if I could come in another time to surprise the kids and read a story at the end of the year.

Yes, yes! I can.
Thank you Ms. Lundell!

I picked my favorite book from my girls' younger years,
Tightrope Poppy The Hire Wire Pig.

It fit perfectly with rhyming and poetry and everything they were learning.

When I was done, the kids could ask questions
or share ideas.

OMG, this Q/A session went on for 1/2 hour,
and the kids were still not done.

I sat there in a little chair at the head of the class of second graders on a carpet in front of me,
raising their hands to share ideas,
 that just didn't stop!

Ms. Lundell and I exchanging glances,
at the awesomest this silly story created,
and all the kids had to say.

It felt like heaven to me.

 

After the story,
I got to participate
 in a class meeting,
right there on the carpet with them,
as if I was actually part of the class.

 

They discussed their emotions,
 about the end of the school year.

 

It was the sweetest thing.

Some of them cried.

 

One boy (Christopher) said
"I have mixed emotions. On one hand I am excited about the new school, but on the other hand, I will miss my teacher and this class."

 

I MELTED.

 

Charlotte has a crush on this boy.
 

Oh boy, after that.
 

Me too.

I was still on the chair above everyone, and was about to be skipped over
(I am freaking out with emotion, please please skip me)

 then one boy, (Dominic), hooted out,

"wait, wait! Charlotte's Mom
has to take a turn too"

So, of course, in my shaky about to cry voice,
I just agreed with what Christopher said,

"it is with mixed emotions, but thank you so much for letting me be part of your year. Mostly I feel so grateful to know you all."

 Charlotte was brave enough to have a solo in the musical, and Grandma and Grandpa were in the audience.

 

I also picked Lily up from school early so she could attend.

 

It was the day they talk about puberty at Lily's school,so she was thrilled to miss The Talk!

 

On to new places...

but first summer break!