The First of the Fab Four

Court was breezing through Orlando and we got to have some time together.

It was sooo stinking great to see her and to hear of her first year at school. We went to Amigos and settled in for a good long chat over quesidillas and queso.

It did my heart good to see her looking healthier and happier than I had seen in a long time. Not so much stress in her face and just a general happiness about her.

I love hearing about what is going on with the fabulous four. (Blair you are due for a check in!) Letting go of those special students is always difficult for all the right reasons. You have invested. You know their lives. You laugh together and share stupid memories. You come to share with them the journey of life for a couple of years. You have special jokes together (we didnt start the fire will never be the same for me again!) Some of them let you see their hearts. You love them. Saying goodbye is difficult and yet seeing them succeed in life and to make good choices and be happy is amazingly fulfilling too.

What I loved about Court was that she has made some good decisions that have served her well. Im glad that she is smart. She knows her priorites deep down and she is also amazingly stubborn which can be a great thing in college. Knowing her past, she is remarkably resilient. It was comforting to sit across from her and hear and see that she is indeed well. So many things can easily get Freshmen in college off track, especially those with difficult situations. She's made some choices to be proud of. I realized after she left that I AM proud of her.

I love that as a teacher in a small private environment, that healthy engagement with students is the rule rather than the exception. Of course you cant engage with everyone. I believe that God puts certain ones in your life for a reason. I think He also put different students in other teacher's lives for the same reasons

I consider it to be an honor to share the journey with a few of them. They are the ones that will stay in touch with for their whole lives. We are moving past the teacher-student relationship and into more of a friendship of older and younger. I still have teachers in my own school that I keep in touch with....that i sit in the stands with when I attend games at my old high school...that I send Christmas cards to. It may seem odd to the world, but I think that in the right context, one that is healthy and appropriate that this is good and maybe even a bit sacred.

All that said, let me give a shout out to Court by saying this...."GO KAPPA DELTA!!"