Tears

An interesting title I know, but there have been quite a bit more tears shed these past months than in the past.  And the tears have come as a result of different events, but I was realizing tonight that they all are stemming from the same thing.  And that thing happens to be the life-changing time of my life that I'm preparing to transition into.  Thus the tears.  Unfortunately, some of the tears have triggered by less than important things: watching the end of Gone With the Wind and wishing Scarlett and Rhett could figure it out, listening to Harry Potter on my way home from work and feeling so excited and proud when Ron returns to Harry and Hermoine...  And being unable to sing in church on Sunday because of the hot tears that won't leave me alone every time we sing "In Christ Alone."  I supposed being moved during a song about Christ's death and resurrection is a "tear-worthy" event.  :)

Today was a first for me and that was that tears came flooding to my eyes and spilling out onto my face when I shared the news with my first graders that I was going to be moving and that they would be getting a new teacher.  They were so sweet and had a variety of different responses.  One of them told me that he and his friend in our class were also going to be moving to Costa Rica when they turned ten.  Another told me that she thinks I should give them all a picture of me and then we can take pictures together for me to take with me and remember them.  One asked me if I was going to live in a hotel there.  Several of them chimed in that they were going to miss me.  And the majority of them just kind of looked at me, unsure of what to do because they saw their teacher crying and they hadn't experienced that before.  In hindsight, I'm glad there were tears because I think that demonstrated to them how much I care about them and that it is going to be hard to say goodbye.  These will not be the last tears to be shed in my classroom I am quite certain.

All in all, I'm thankful for the tears and the reminder of the fact that this is a very important time in my life; to begin letting go of things and people here, and to be okay with the knowledge that it is not going to be easy.  More than the tears, there is an overwhelming sense of calling, purpose, and joy about where the Lord is leading me.  So bring them on, as long as they have a good reason for gracing me with their presence.  :)