Last Day :(

So today was the last day with students this year. Such mixed feelings! I'm in desperate need of a long rest and dangerously close to burning out. Ok, fine, I burnt out a few weeks ago and have barely been keeping it together. Anyways...

While part of me was immensely relieved to have a few weeks of rest ahead of me, the other part of me was/is so sad at saying goodbye to so many of my kids. Because of the way my job is looking next year I'm pretty much guaranteed to NOT have any but 2 of my kids again next year, which means a lot of goodbyes. Two in particular were very hard, mostly my little J.

He's going to a completely different school system next year which means it really IS goodbye. He gave me a wonderful last-day gift though; he briefly played catch with another student! I was so shocked, never have I even seen him play with a ball, never mind with another student.

I was super impressed with myself for keeping it together all day, no tears, no choking up, just a few big hugs and high-fives for the kiddos.

Then this evening I was telling someone about the first time J spoke earlier this year and it hit me. It's over. I said goodbye to him today. Cue the tears.