Last Day

Friday was my last day at Shady Grove Elementary for this year.  I guess one advantage of this scheduled delivery is that I didn't just go into labor one day and not show up for school the next.  So, my second graders have been counting down (as have I!) for several weeks now and we finally made it to ZERO on Friday.  They have 55 more days of school without me, but will be in great hands with a wonderful maternity sub.  It was nice to have some closure with them and be sure to be able to say goodbye properly.  Still, many of them were sad for me to leave and they all wrote me precious letters declaring their eternal love and adoration as well as wishing us well with parenthood.  Here are some snipets from those letters:

"Mrs. Hardy, you are a good teacher.  You do fun stuff with us.  You read good books to us like The BFG.  That was a really good book, especially the end.  That was really cool.  Hope you have a good time at the hospital."

"I hope you will have a great time with your family.  I think you will be a great mom with Clara.  I will miss you a lot.  You were the best teacher I had ever had.  You will have a great, great life.  I'm really really really sorry Clara has to have surgery.  I hope you will have the best time."

"It was nice having you as a teacher...Now you have to have a baby and I hope baby is cute."

I'm sory that you have to leave.  I had fun in second grade with you.  You are a great teacher.  I can't wait to meet Clara.  I bet she will be very cute.  I hope you can bring her in so we can actually meet her.  Good luck having a baby!"

"You are the best teacher in the world.  I am going to miss you very very much.  Clara is going to have the best mommy ever!"

"Please don't leave.  I am going to miss you.  I will love you forever.  You are the bestest teacher in the world.  I'll try to be ok without you.  I hope you will remember me and love me.  I love you so so so so so so so so so so much."

"You are the best teacher.  Don't tell Ms. _______!  I hope you have a great year.  I hope you have a great time with Clara. Remember to be a good mom.  If you are a good mom then I will be a good mom when I grow up.  I know you will be a great mom and.... make your husband clean the diapers always.  I will always always always always remember you and Clara.  I know you two will be great.  P.S.  You rock.  I love you so so so so so so much!!!!!!!!"

Okay, enough self-promotion.  But there aren't many jobs in this world where you get affirmed like that.  It's been a good year in second grade (despite the difficulties of transitioning to a new grade level while pregnant) and I had an AMAZING group of children.  I really will miss them the rest of this year, but I have big adventures ahead.  I'm looking forward to a couple more days to finish up the to-do list and try to put my feet up some before the whirlwind begins on Wednesday. 

And P.S....  Here I am with one of my all-time favorite students (and also the daughter of my ObGyn) on Friday too.  She's the cutest.