Things I want to remember from today

- How very important it feels to do a job and do it well and be done with it. For example, getting 30 lockers cleaned out.
- Jesus' smile when I call him out on any number of things he does.
- The moment when Olga, my teammate and friend, handed my a Willow Tree angel and wished me a great life, hugging me with tears in her eyes.
- Writing notes to about twenty of my co-workers, telling them how much I appreciated sharing the past two years with them.
- Calling out the names of my golfers and awarding them medals in an assembly of about 900 students and teachers, and congratulating them on an awesome season!
- Having Anissa, a student of mine last year, knock on my door and tell me she wanted to give me a hug and tell me goodbye. She's this tough girl, with an eyebrow ring, gangster look, and yet she wrote in my yearbook that she's going to keep writing. Too cool.
- Getting a group hug from Clarissa, Lily, and Eric, students from last year who yelled how much they'll miss me.
- Having Kristina and Linda gather in my room just to hang out, I will miss that - more than they know.
- Laughing at the goodbye staff meeting, getting two hats - one that says "detective" and the other that says "party animal" and hearing how much they appreciate all the "hats" I have worn over the past 360+ days I've worked at Crane Middle School.
- Cynthia Norman, a great friend, hugging me as we left and telling me, through tears, that I am a good person.
- Elizabeth putting quarters in the "college fund" piggy bank I also got at the party, so I won't forget her.
- Having Linda tell me she just isn't saying goodbye to me. I like that because I don't like goodbyes.
- Eating a Snickers ice cream bar and getting chocolate all over me, even on my bangle bracelets.
- Getting a hug from my boss who told me, sincerely, that she would miss me. That's big because sometimes I didn't always feel that way.
- Staring at Luis and Ricardo's baby sister, born Saturday, and being thanked by their parents. It's pretty cool to know that as teachers, we've made such an impact on a family that they want to share these good things with us.
- Looking out at the 40-some people I've worked with for two years and thinking that I will truly miss them.