A Few Special Places in my Heart.

The school officially announced that next week is our last week of teaching. 

Which means...next week is goodbye-to-my-babies-week.

And I remember a year ago, when I was lifting them up, asking that my heart would be ready for them and that their hearts would be ready for me. 

I didn't know how it would play out and how many little bonds I would make. 

I also didn't know that I would have some specials bonds with a few particular students, either. 

These are a few of the students it will be hardest to say goodbye to.

Angel

I had Angel's class last term, but I see them out on the playground at least once a week and they still scream “MEES LOVVVVVEE!!!” when I get near. When this happens, Angel is always one of the first to latch onto my hand...and she doesn't let go. She tries her hardest to communicate with me and we tell each other, "I love you!" I met her new Chinese English teacher this semester and one of the first things she said was, “Oh, you are Miss Love! A student has told me about you. She loves you. You are a good teacher.”

Lisa

Lisa is also in Angel’s class. Lisa comes across as shy and sweet, but she's also very smart and loves to play. One day I was reading outside when I suddenly heard her yelling "MEES LOVE!" and, before I knew it, she was in my lap.

Jacob and Connor

These boys are both in Class 5, which I have again this semester. Jacob can’t say anything in English except “How are you?” but he will say it over and over because he likes to talk to me. He also likes to wrap himself around my leg in the hallway until I have to pry him off. Connor calls me Mommy and is so cute I can hardly stand it.

Daniel

This boy can make my day brighter just by looking at me. His sweet smile, the grubby hands he wants to high-five me with, the way he sits up straight in class and glows at me…I can’t get over it. He’s. So. Cute.

"Mees Love. Today is Tuesday. Yes or no?"
"Yes, Daniel. Great job."

Amy

Amy is a child full of sweet adoration. She likes to give me kisses and hugs in the hallway, but not in an “I-NEED-ATTENTION-RIGHT-NOW” sort of way.
She's going to be really awesome when she grows up.

Breezy

Breezy is the smartest girl (...or at least, most verbal) in her English class and one of the few who can ask me more than two questions at a time. Her smile is wide and she loves to show it off to me. One day I asked, “What can you see?” She started jumping up and down and squealed, “I can see a Mees Love!”

Jason

This boy tries so so so hard to communicate with me. He uses sign language, mouths words in Chinese, and even draws pictures—but he usually doesn’t actually speak Chinese because he’s one of the few who understands that I don’t speak it. One day he taught me the Chinese words for “I listen” and “bicycle” by using English words he knew. He’s full of imagination and I often find him playing in his own little world as he walks to class or sits in his desk.

Fabio

Everyone already knows that Fabio holds the dearest place in my heart. I don’t know how I’m going to leave this kid. His quiet ways, his hilarious mannerisms, his love of hugs, and his desire to be close to me and capture my attention without being obnoxious. We don’t talk to each other—and we don’t have to.

There are going to be tears when I part with this child.

I love all of my students and I notice many of their little idiosyncrasies and the qualities that make them unique. But these are a few of the students who will be the hardest to say goodbye to.

 Amazing how much love can be communicated without being able to communicate.