Another School Year Ends...

...and not a moment too soon.  A body can only take so much gearing up for a big event.  By today, all we were fit for was watching a movie to pass the time between the morning awards assembly and the last bell for the march to the buses at 12:10.

The movie I chose to show was called Second Hand Lions -- a perfect movie for young people (funny, bittersweet, uplifting, a bit mystical with just enough romance to keep the girls happy and sword fighting to entertain the boys, all capped with a message of hope and courage that puts a lump in the throat and a good feeling in your heart.  That kind of movie) .  The only downside is that it stars two sweet, crusty old gentlemen who regularly swear like sailors.  Nothing that the children haven't heard before, but not exactly the kind of thing you'd want the superintendent to walk in and hear.  No matter.  The children loved it.  I was sorting books while the children watched and whenever the old men got on a potty-mouthed jag, I'd call out, "Don't listen, children," and they'd respond with, "We're covering our ears."  We had it all worked out.  Really.

When I got home this afternoon I looked at the notes and gifts the students had given me.  One of my favorites was this:

A drawing of me, Poom (and his shaved tail), Arby (with catnip banana) and my little orange car.  This is boy who listened carefully to all of my silly stories.

Another favorite:

It's a photograph taken of my teaching sister, Sue, and I talking while looking for whales on our ocean field trip.  The student's father took our picture and it came to me in a silver frame.

Tonight I'm feeling a bit wrung out and tomorrow I must be up early to be at a writing workshop that begins at 8:30.  Not feeling the most enthusiastic about the timing of this, but I'm determined to carry on with a positive attitude.  This is what comes from watching an inspirational movie today with a message of hope and courage.