A request

I felt like crying after leaving Wade's class this morning.  Crying in a good way.

Most Fridays I come into his class for 30 minutes and help with reading groups.  Today I helped with Accelerated Math and had a good time.  One of the boys in my group said, "I want to be in your group next time!" Haha, I think he was just excited because I got to check their answers to make sure they were right BEFORE they submitted them on their Chromebooks.  Easy grade of 100. :)

Just as I was leaving, Wade's teacher, Mrs. Kyte, pulled me aside for a minute outside and asked me if I would do something for her.  There's a student in her class who is in foster care and has had a really good experience with the foster family he's been living with.  He will be going back to family members in a couple weeks, and Mrs. Kyte was very worried about him.  She asked me if I'd please add him to our church's prayer roll (in the temple).  I gave her a big hug and told her I'd be happy to do that!

I've put family and friends' names on the prayer rolls of our LDS temples in the past, especially for serious challenges and struggles, etc.  But that request from Mrs. Kyte just opened my heart wide and reminded me of the very real power found in prayer, faith, and temple service.

I went home and did what she asked as soon as I could find a number to the temple.  I'm grateful for this sweet teacher's faith and the reminder that God knows us and does hear our prayers!

School's out!

It's always a shock when the school year ends.  The year seems to drag, and then suddenly it's over and you think, "Wait, didn't we just start a few months ago?"

Both Rhiannon and Wade were very sad about having to say goodbye to their teachers.  These wonderful women definitely prepared our kids for the next grade, but they also were loving and very, very caring.  

Here's Rhiannon with Mrs. Knehans on the last day of school.  This woman is tough, sassy, superbly funny, and, boy, does she know how to handle pre-teen 5th graders!  I will be forever grateful for her quick responses to Rhiannon's needs and her watchful care.  And getting to spend 3 days with her on the 5th grade field trip was a major highlight of MY school year. :)

Mrs. O'Gara is a very different teacher from ones we've had in the past.  I'd heard that kids cried when they had to move on to 2nd grade after having her for a year, but that she wasn't very warm and fuzzy with parents.  I was never asked to volunteer in her room and only walked into her classroom 5 times all year--on the first day, the last day, parent conference day, to drop off Wade's science project, and one afternoon when I subbed for her.  Honestly I just let her do her thing and tried not to bug her!  But I loved her, too, because I could tell how much Wade liked her.  Several times a week he'd tell me some new fact he had learned about Mrs. O'Gara.  The last couple weeks of school he would often comment how he was going to miss her.  I remembered how she IMMEDIATELY responded to some bullying concerns we had the first month of school, too.

On the last morning of school, I asked her if I could take her picture with Wade.  She was so sweet and responsive as I thanked her for all she'd done for Wade.  She got emotional and commented on how hard the last few days of school were for her, because she always felt like each of her classes came together and became a family.  It was hard for her to say goodbye, and hard for us, too!

Rhiannon and her fellow 5th graders participated in a "Moving On Ceremony."  They did a nice job.  A couple girls passed out on the risers, too--that was exciting.

Rhiannon got an award for academic excellence--way to go, sis! 

Can you see Rhiannon on the back row?  I'm secretly jealous--I've NEVER stood on the back row ANYWHERE. :)

So glad Dad could make it, too!

Love ya, sweetie!

 Rhiannon with her friend Kiki!

It's been a great year!  Congrats to Rhiannon for finishing up elementary school and having a super report card, and congrats to Wade for having a "perfect" report card!   Dad rewarded the kids with a HUGE dinner of pizza from Pizza Hut--we got at least 2 days worth of meals from that extravaganza! :)