All Good Things Must Come To An End....

There have been school years where not only Child, but Husband and I as well, desperately counted down to "the end", "fin", "game over". Interestingly enough, these years have traditionally been the "odd numbered" ones. Being that Child just finished 6th Grade, the "doomsday countdown clock" was never activated this year...

Last year during 5th Grade, all Child (and we, as parents) heard was how Middle School was going to be a H-U-G-E transition. It was a year of "in Middle School, they won't accept this", and "you better get this in line before Middle School." Needless to say, 5th Grade was pretty much a buzzkill, and the "doomsday countdown clock" was polished and set on top of the mantle a week before the "big day".

Apparently, the 5th Grade "Teacher Soothsayers" were a bit off-the-mark on what the 6th Grade experience would turn out to be. Child enjoyed a great year with enthusiastic teachers, who guided her gently along the path to success in her new environment. She made some new friends, and kept the old. She learned to be more responsible/organized. She even experienced her 1st crush, and remained sane. All around, it was just a great year; I don't know what more any of us could have asked for!

How to end such a great year... We enjoyed lunch in "Thomasville" with "Friend", his twin brother, baby brothers, and parents. Child, "Friend", and "Twin Bro" frolicked in the backyard, played Twister (Child opted out of "twisting", and just spun the spinner and laughed at the boys), and had an impromptu "phone tutorial"! Yes folks, something definitely froze over today!Child picked up the "house phone" (aka landline), and started messing with it. "Friend" looked over at her, smiled, and asked who she was calling. This is when the "eureka moment" came to me:

Mother: "______, you should call _____("Friend") on his cell phone and get over your fear of it!"

Friend: "I'll call her."

(Friend confidently, and authoritatively, types in the digits)

(The handset in Child's hand rings. Shockingly, she answers it on the first ring...)

Child: "Hello"

Friend: "Hi. You should go in another room so I can't hear you." (Friend and Child are sitting 5 feet apart)

(Child takes the handset, and disappears into the basement. Her voice is audible through the ceiling as Child, like her Mother, is able to project her voice quite well)

Friend: "I can hear you through the ceiling (laughs, after all, this is the "King of the Laugh Attack"....). Go in the little room with the litter box!"

(Child obliges, and her voice can still be heard through the ceiling, but not as much as before. The two converse for about a minute)

Friend: (to Mother, who is in the same room he is calling Child from)"Why is she afraid of phones?"

Mother: "I have no idea."

(Child emerges from the "Underworld" (basement). She and Friend smile at one another. Could this be the beginning of cellular/landline communication...Stay Tuned!)

After lunching, badmitting, and general merry-making, it was time to say good-bye to Friend et al (Baby Bros need naps, after all). Even though Child knew that she would be leaving shortly for a friend's house for dinner/sleepover, she looked utterly dejected. When asked why she was so sad, she burst into tears, saying how much she would be missing her Math Teacher. This Math Teacher, who is now officially retired, was one of those rare individuals who believed that any child had the ability to suceed, and taught her classes accordingly. Earlier that day, she had written in Child's autogrpah journal that she was so grateful that Child transferred into her class because otherwise she would have "never gotten to know one of the most precious girls in the 6th Grade." Whoa... tears for two, please! Yep, it was a banner year...

So, after some quality time with a Kleenex box, Child and I worked together to get her overnight bag/sleeping bag ready to go. As we approached the car, Child started to tear up again. I unlocked the backseat doors for her, so she could put in her luggage, and then it happened.... As she was placing her stuff into the car, Child noticed something on the backseat. She flipped it over, and it was a laminated picture of Friend (which he had dropped in the backseat of the car on the way home from school). Holding/looking at the picture instantly took away the sadness of missing her favorite teacher. They do say that the Lord works in mysterious ways, after all... When we arrived at her sleepover, she was once again a happy camper (picture of Friend safely packed-away into the overnight bag). It's looking like the great "First Day of Summer Vacation" will also be a great night!