We're leaving at 6 a.m. tomorrow to drop my brother off at college. This is the weekend for goodbyes---I said goodbye to my life as I know it today. I walked into "the big room" this morning and found a sign on the wall decorated with bright markers that said "Good Luck and God Bless You Ms. Dawn" "We are going to miss you". All of the staff and parents signed it, and some of the kids wrote their own names. When I walked into the toddler room, in the place where I usually hang the toddlers artwork was a sign saying "Thank you for all you have done for the toddler class, we love you Ms. Dawn" and on the opposite wall was "We will miss you" surrounded by red and blue toddler handprints. Ms. Jackie brought cookies and cheetos and we had a toddler throw-down. We took the kids outside to play, then the director had us take them in early. They gave me a cake (decorated especially for me with Pink icing) and sang "God Bless you today, God bless you today, we'll miss you Ms. Dawn, God bless you today!". The girls gave me a pair of beautiful silver dangle earrings and my boss gave me a silver sequined koozie with red fur on the top and stitching that says "bling bling". She also wrote me a sweet letter. Brandy gave me a frosted glass picture frame ornament that says "best friends" and has red beads dangling from the bottom. Everyone was so sweet, all the parents gave me hugs and wished me luck in my new job. I made the girls candy bags and wrote on the outside in puff paint "Something SWEET to remind you of ME", and a card saying what they meant to me. I surprisingly didn't cry. Ms. Jackie, the main toddler teacher I've worked side-by-side with for the majority of the 2 years, is a hard-ass. She doesn't show much emotion, doesn't even hug her family, and NEVER cries....but today, when she told me goodbye, she gave me a huge hug and teared up. I almost broke out in tears...it meant so much to me. I really look up to Ms. Jackie; she's strong, beautiful, amazing with kids, and incredibly creative. It made me feel good knowing I meant that much to her. I'm going to miss that place--the girls, the parents, my babies. But this move is good for me. It's time to look out for me. P.S.~ Beth's poetry is contagious! dawn creative, passionate, concerned, driven sister of Jacob lover of the beach, music, sugar, and silliness who feels needed, loved, and confident that she is doing the right thing who needs laughter, music, and hugs who gives acceptance, prayers, and laughter who fears the death of loved ones, her dark side, and semi-trucks who would like to camp on the beach, find Mr. Right, and have cute babies resident of the great state ofTexas