Teachin’ Mama: Broke

Monday, July 24, 2023

A Very Special Wedding

The wedding I attended on Saturday was for someone who is very dear to my heart.

I was Madeline's 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teacher and needless to say, when you spend three years with someone, they become almost like family.

Her sister, Meredith, was also in my class. A year younger that Madeline, she was with for me for 2nd, 4th, and 5th grade. (I taught the 2nd/3rd grade Gifted class for one year and then moved on to the 4th/5th Gifted class for the rest of my career.)

I've known these two ladies since they were 7 and 8 - lucky me!

Brooke, Madeline's best friend and matron of honor, was also in my class for three years. Needless to say, seeing these young women again was very special to me.

I sat down Sunday and went through old blog posts on Teachinmama, my original blog. Here are a few of my favorite photos with the girls.

Both girls were accomplished ballet dancers and I went to many of their performances.

A highlight of my Christmases for years was attending their annual performance of The Nutcracker Ballet and seeing their roles change as they grew more and more accomplished in their ballet training.

In 2011 I had both knees replaced, and they came to see me while I recovered at home. As a treat, they made ice cream for me from eggs that their ducks had laid. (If you are ever offered duck egg ice cream, say YES!! It is so rich and creamy!)

I retired in 2018, and with my principal's blessing (and to my surprise), years of former students descended on my classroom one afternoon in May and surprised me with a retirement party.

Madeline and Merry were right in the thick of things. What a lovely thing for all those former students to do for me and what a way to close out your career by celebrating with kids (many of whom were now adults) that you loved and still held close in your heart.

I didn't stay retired for more than a few months - due to illness, a teacher suddenly needed to retire during the school year. I was asked to finish the year as the class's teacher.

There was also a teacher's aide position for that class to be filled. Madeline was a studying Elementary Education at Purdue and I asked her to apply for the job if she was interested. She was, and was able to arrange her class schedule and take the aide position.