The Last Week of School
Field Day. Yearbook signing. Awards Ceremonies. Class celebrations. My little boy should be here for all of these. The last few weeks have been emotionally and physically draining. Not only is it a kick in the stomach every time we realize there is one more activity that our boy will never get to participate in again, but Dan and I are both elementary school teachers, so we are right in the thick of it. It's hard to ignore all of the festivities when I have to help plan them and watch them every day for the past week or two.
A few days ago, I was driving home from school and realized that I hadn't gotten an end of year gift for Rhys's teacher. Then it occurred to me, what about Jameson's teachers? He had been in their classes for over half the school year. I felt like I couldn't leave them out. They had shown Jameson so much love while he adjusted to his new school. They were the last teachers he would ever have, and they took such good care of him.
It's something I never thought before. The possibility of needing one less teacher gift because my child has died. Does this cross any of our minds? I stopped at our favorite bakery and bought both Rhys and Jamesons' two teachers gift cards. I'm all about practical gifts for teachers. But since I was also feeling a little bit creative, I also made a homemade s'more in a jar for each of them. If you've never had a s'more in a jar, they are delicious. We were introduced to them by a small town restaurant where we used to live. With some experimentation over the years, I figured out my own way to make them, complete with scratch-made marshmallow fluff.
I sat down to write the cards. In a normal year, I would have thanked the teachers for showing my kids how much fun learning can be, for taking good care of them, and for making school a happy place. This year's cards had longer messages.
What could I say to express my gratitude to my son's final teachers, the women who had helped ease his transition into a new school, helped him make new friends, and challenged him to learn more? Jameson loved his new school, just like he loved his old one. It was like he had been going there for years. To Jameson, moving to the mountains was such a positive experience. He jumped right into the challenge, with a happy, cheerful attitude.
It hurts so bad to know that Jameson isn't here to have the fun activities of the last week of school or the start of summer vacation. This week is survival. As painful as it is, I have to just plow through it and try to avoid all of the reminders of a little boy who is gone way too soon.
A few days ago, I was driving home from school and realized that I hadn't gotten an end of year gift for Rhys's teacher. Then it occurred to me, what about Jameson's teachers? He had been in their classes for over half the school year. I felt like I couldn't leave them out. They had shown Jameson so much love while he adjusted to his new school. They were the last teachers he would ever have, and they took such good care of him.
It's something I never thought before. The possibility of needing one less teacher gift because my child has died. Does this cross any of our minds? I stopped at our favorite bakery and bought both Rhys and Jamesons' two teachers gift cards. I'm all about practical gifts for teachers. But since I was also feeling a little bit creative, I also made a homemade s'more in a jar for each of them. If you've never had a s'more in a jar, they are delicious. We were introduced to them by a small town restaurant where we used to live. With some experimentation over the years, I figured out my own way to make them, complete with scratch-made marshmallow fluff.
I sat down to write the cards. In a normal year, I would have thanked the teachers for showing my kids how much fun learning can be, for taking good care of them, and for making school a happy place. This year's cards had longer messages.
What could I say to express my gratitude to my son's final teachers, the women who had helped ease his transition into a new school, helped him make new friends, and challenged him to learn more? Jameson loved his new school, just like he loved his old one. It was like he had been going there for years. To Jameson, moving to the mountains was such a positive experience. He jumped right into the challenge, with a happy, cheerful attitude.
It hurts so bad to know that Jameson isn't here to have the fun activities of the last week of school or the start of summer vacation. This week is survival. As painful as it is, I have to just plow through it and try to avoid all of the reminders of a little boy who is gone way too soon.
Only one son will get to give his teacher a gift, but Rhys and Dan will deliver two of these to Jameson's teachers
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