Teaching with Tears

Sometimes teaching preschool isn't easy.  No, I don't mean the job itself, I mean "doing" the job.  Preschool teacher have to be happy.  You just cannot have an unhappy preschool teacher.  Now, this is usually not a problem for me. How can I be unhappy???  I mean I love my job.  I adore my class, my co-workers and no one could have a more pleasant director.  But late last week things changed.  Not with school, but with life.  Early Thursday morning I got the call to say my sweet friend Lottie had lost her battle with cancer.   School started in only a couple of hours, I had to put on my "happy face".  I knew it wouldn't be easy but I washed my face, reapplied my make-up and headed out the door.  I wasn't sure I could do it, but the first person I saw was my precious friend Christi (I usually call her my "partner-in-crime").  No two people could possibly be more different.  Yet, I'm pretty sure she is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.  Sure enough I heard, "you didn't have to come in, I've got this",  I knew she meant it, but I knew I had to be there.  As soon as children started coming in the door, I knew I was in the right place.  Christi never left my side.  We joined our classes and had an amazing day.  We gobbled like turkeys and laughed more than usual.  Soon it was time for our day to end.  The sadness and the tears came back but they quickly left again on Friday morning when once again school began.  Today I said good-bye to my friend Lottie.  There is a big hole in my heart and I will miss her more than I can say.  But at least I have a sweet group of 3 & 4 years olds and great friends, who will help me make it through.

My sweet friend Lottie