May 23rd, 2021

Dear Families,

This will be my final blog and I can't say I will miss it!  Computers are not my strong suit!  This week we'll be cleaning the classroom.  I'll put all of your children's belongings in a bag to take home on their last day.  If your child was a napper at any time during the school year, please let me know what their sheets look like so I can send them home.  Friday was the last day of one of my students and I cried like a baby!  Your wonderful children were very worried about me but I explained to them that I love them so much and that I was going to miss them when they go to Kindergarten. I also said that I'm so proud of each and every one of them!  The last week of school for 20 years has always been hard for me emotionally and this year is devastating me!!!  I know that this is the right time for me to retire, my body and brain knows it but my heart is breaking!!!  The teachers and staff have been there for me constantly through my ups and downs and that includes the upper grade teachers and staff and of course Mrs. Blackburn.  When my youngest child, Ian, entered preschool here, I was a stay at home Mom , I was volunteering as much as I could.  Mrs. Jill, the Director at the time asked me if I wanted to get paid for what I do.  So my story of working at OLM began.  The love and support I've been given is truly amazing!  Quite a few years ago, the apartment that my 3 boys and I were living in caught on fire.  It was the middle of the night and we got out in shorts, t-shirts with no shoes.  I grabbed my purse, keys and my Grandma's Bible and told the kids we had to get the car out.  We parked down the street and came back to begin knocking on doors to get people out.  The fire department couldn't get in because the gate was closed so we ran back to the car to get the clicker for the gate.  I was running with it in my hand and my oldest son Alec, took it out of my hand and clicked it open for the fire trucks to get in and then he propped open the walk in gate with a huge rock, (I don't know how he lifted it!) for other life saving personnel.  We were in a parking lot after that waiting for my Dad to come and pick up the boys when Mrs. Irma showed up!  She said her husband was getting off work and noticed the fire and asked her if one of her co workers lived there.  She said yes and they came back to see if they could help.  Mrs. Irma took her shoes off her feet and gave them to me because I was bare footed!  OMG!  I will be forever grateful to her for that!  That is just one of the many, many times my co workers have gone over and above for me and they do the same for your children every day!  

​Back to school work.  We'll practice  three phonemes to make a word...c - a - t. Count to 30, begin subtraction, mix colors and practice writing our letters and numbers 1-10. 

I can't wrap my head around saying good bye, so I'll say maybe I'll be your younger children's substitute teacher!

I love every single one of the students that I was blessed to teach these past 21 years.  My life has been full of love, joy and hoping I make a difference in the children's journey to Kindergarten and more importantly their faith journey.

I love you,

Miss C.