Only the beginning

(Photos: 1 - Sylvia who retired as an aide at CRMS this year and Cinthia, Ang's team's science teacher. 2 - Me and Jake, Kristina's husband who teaches Special Ed at the new high school. 3 - Cindy, Linda, who taught Special Ed at CRMS this year but are moving to the elementary school next year and me. 4 - Kristina, Ang's team's math teacher, and Ang. 5 - Olga, my team's social studies teacher, Jim and Debi Prickett, Debi is Ang's team's other language arts teacher. We all celebrated the last day of school Thursday with lunch (and drinks!) at Chili's!)

"There comes a point you think is the end, but it is only the beginning." - Louis L'Amour

I'm not a fan of goodbyes, I'm not sure anyone is. I cry, then when I see other people crying, I cry more, I think life will never be the same, and guess what? I'm usually right. But here's another thing I've learned, while life will never be the same without the people you say goodbye too - it will continue and it might even be better than if you had never met those people you're saying goodbye too.

The school year is over, we finished up with a half-day Thursday. And it went really well, the kids had fun, I had fun, I signed shirts and yearbooks and took pictures, watched kids do cartwheels in the hall (shhh! don't tell my boss!), got and gave tons of hugs, and really just enjoyed my last few minutes with my 100+ students. I thought I might be more emotional, last year my kids were, I had a lot of tears shed in my room. This year there weren't many until the very end of the day. And then I did tear up as I waved to the kids hanging out the bus windows. And here's something I thought was pretty cool: as the bus drivers pulled out of the parking lot they honked their horns, continually, I just thought that was a very happy, positive way to end the year. And we teachers stood there waving at everyone. Very cool.

And it's over. We got all checked out at school (it took a while, there's always extra crap they throw in at the last possible second), and then headed to lunch to celebrate with our friends. We had an awesome time, mixing school talk with conversations on everything under the sun. Then we headed back to school to help our friends Kristina and Cinthia move into their new rooms. Lots of change happening around here. And at five o'clock when Ang and I walked out of Crane Middle School for the very last time I couldn't help but get a little misty-eyed again. I've spent a lot of time there in the past two years. A LOT of time. I've cried, I've laughed, I've loved, I've made amazing friends, I've yelled, I've taught, and most of all, I've grown. I think that's the best part. I've become a different, I hope better, person.

So it's the end and it's the beginning. I'm done being a seventh grade language arts teacher. For now (never say never I've learned). And I'm so glad I took the job. I'm so glad I let those kids and all these people into my life. And most of all, right now, at least for a few more days, I'm glad it's over. I'm worn out but in a good way. The way you get when you have accomplished something pretty darn good.