Goodbye Miss Chidester...

You need a little background knowledge for this one. Last year, I had a student in my class named Tate. He was a little difficult to handle most of the time, and had way too much energy for his little first grade body to handle. At the beginning of last year, I was beside myself with trying to corral his craziness while not loosing my cool (what was left of it). Once he and I found our niche with each other, everything went wonderfully and he ended up being my most memorable and favorite first grader. I love this kid! He is cute, honest, and just plain funny.

Well... that was last year. Now he's a second grader who cannot quite seem to let go of first grade, even though the year is more than 2/3 of the way over. He still pops into my classroom everyday and waits for me as I bring my kids in from recess. Every first grader in my class this year knows him by name. He is always wanting to give me hugs, tell me his problems, or show me how much farther down he can go when he does the splits. I love that he still loves me!

Tate has been telling me for several months that he is moving to a city about 4 hours from here. The first day, he came in crying to say goodbye. His second grade teacher confirmed that he was really moving. I was sad. He came back the next day, telling me it was going to be his real last day (this was a Friday) and said goodbye. Well, he was back to say goodbye that Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday... you get the idea. The poor kid was crying and saying goodbye for weeks! Finally, we checked with his parents and found out that he had a few more weeks of school before the move. I think it made everyone happy.

Well this morning, Tate came into my classroom while I was teaching my A track kids. He came to say goodbye... for real. This really is his last day. I'm so sad that I won't see him bouncing off the walls in the hall anymore, doing cartwheels and landing in the splits on the playground, or sitting in the office waiting to see the principal... again. His mom sent him with a goodbye gift for me. Obviously, he remembered my love of M&M's. The picture below is EXACTLY what he laid down on my table this morning, opened and all...
(I didn't touch anything before I took the picture)

(by the way, the loose M&M's came out of his coat pocket)

Here was the conversation about the M&M's...

Tate: "I came in to say goodbye Miss Chidester."
Me: "Are you REALLY moving today?"
Tate: "Yep and my mom is going to check me out of school today and we're leaving."
(We talked for a couple of minutes and I had another teacher take our picture together.)
Tate: "Here Miss Chidester. My mom got you some M&M's for me to say goodbye with."
Me: "Thanks Tate! You remembered how much I love M&M's!"
(Tate is looking pretty proud by now. He pulls the opened bag of M&M's out of his backpack and some out of his coat pocket.)
Tate: "I ate some and some spilled on the bus so I put them in my pocket."
(By now I am smiling the biggest smile I can... I love this kid!)
Me: "Thanks, Tate. They look yummy."
Then he gave me a big hug followed by his new address that his mom had sent to school with him on a folded up piece of white paper. I think I'll send him a card in a week or so. I'm going to miss that kid!!