Pomp and Circumstance.

Promptly finding his seat, at the promise of a rice crispy treat.

Classic Matthew smirk.

I have been caught off guard by the amount of emotion I feel at the end of these kindergarten and first grade school years. Saying goodbye and thank you to the woman who took such good care of my children.

I started the school years with such concern and worry, wondering if they would be nurturing enough. And in every case, we made out like bandits. For Alexandria, is was Mrs Dent. Oh how we loved her! For Abraham, is was Mrs Moon for first grade (we homeschooled for kindergarten.) She is a jewel, and I'm really hoping Matt gets her next year. And For Matthew, we had Mrs Wilson. She was perfect. She has been teaching for over 25 years, a graduate of University of Florida (go gaters!) I never saw anything from her that I didn't like. I found her amusing as she interacted with the children. Scattered yet together as 20 little kids all needed her at the same time. She had a beautiful rapport with the kids, she treated them like little friends. Today, as she hugged them goodbye, I saw wiping her tears...so sweet!

And the fuss they made over the 5th graders graduating was quite unbelievable. The honors ceremony, picnic, commemorative self portraits of all the kids, a free movie, pizza party...the list goes on. All of this payed for by donations and run by volunteers.

Little neighborhood schools with teachers who care, hair stylist who become friends, baristas who know your name, Jamaicans at the corner store (yes, I'm obsessed with them.) They make the world seem smaller. Community matters. We all matter.


And guess who's done with 3rd grade?
Not much pomp and circumstance for him, but he was happy with a nerf gun and an icee. Oh middle child syndrome- you make life so easy.