My Babies

My Babies

Friday, June 12, 2015

Hugs Goodbye

Today was the last day of school.  By far my favorite day of the school year!!  At breakfast this morning we had four little fifth grade girls hug the three of us who work early.  They hugged Janet, Tammy and me and wept as they told us goodbye.  Told us how much they would miss us.  Tammy only knew these girls for two years.  Janet and I had known them since kindergarten.  Watched them grow up.  Maleah was a feisty little one when she first came.  She has just blossomed into a precious young lady.  She has six brothers and sisters.  They live in a 3 bedroom single wide trailer.  Not the greatest home life in the world.  Janet and I both would just love to take her home and love her and shower her with the affection and attention she so wants and needs.  Athena is a tall beauty with the most gorgeous eyes.  She cried the hardest because she is scared of going to middle school.  She hugged us so tight.  She too needs affection and attention.  She is an only child but....nobody cares about her.  Not the way they should anyway.  Janet and I want her too.  Then there is Kylie.  Her mom and dad recently divorced and life is just hard.  We did get to talk to her mommy and she cried when we told her how much we were going to miss her girl.  Life is hard for Kylie right now but her mama loves her and Kylie knows it.  Then there is Sydney.  She truly breaks all three of our hearts.  She rarely smiles.  She did today through her sweet tears.  We all hugged her and told her we loved her.  I don't know much about her home life except that it is miserable.  We all want her too.  How I wish I could just bring these girls to my home and give them warm beds, new clothes that are clean and don't smell of smoke.  Give them plenty to eat.  food that is good and good for them.  I am not trying to sound harsh or judgmental or mean or anything of the sort.  I am just stating facts.  Some parents just are not good parents....period.  These girls are starting the hardest part of their young lives.  Choices to make.  Hard choices.  What is their example??  We told them to please make good choices.  Right now they are so young and so sweet and so innocent.  But, sadly some of them will not stay this way.  They have big dreams right now.  One wants to be a nurse, one a doctor....I pray they are and I pray they do.  I pray they have a support system that helps them along the way.  It is always a little sad to see our fifth graders go.  To leave the safety of elementary life.  Before I know it August will be here and the new school year will start.  My little Piper will come to school as a kindergartner.  Hard to wrap my mind around that.  Very hard.  She was just born a few days ago...right??  I know her home life.  I know she is loved, cherished, well fed, well groomed.  Her mommy and daddy will open her book bag.  Will sign her agenda.  Will always send permission slips.  Send in field trip money.  Buy her a year book.  Dress her up for picture day.  All the things that should be a part of childhood.  I really do pray all the time for a lot of our kids at school.  Their faces tell stories all the time.  Scary stories sometimes.  I love hugging them and giving them smiles.  Sometimes the only smile or hug they ever get is from us.  Hugs goodbye are hard ones to give and I hope these little girls remember the words we told them and how much we really do care about these young girls, and all of the kids.

No comments: