Teacher Appreciation

Early on when the virus was just taking hold, I was doing ok with it. I had been preparing, getting things done that needed to be done and buying things we needed, just in case we had to put our plan into action. Then once the stay at home orders were given, we were busy making it all work. When the time came that we should have been in MO and then leaving MO, I was very sad that I had missed that time with Addie. Then, at different times, things would happen that made me sad or uneasy and there were a few times I went off by myself and shed a few tears. But, for the most part, or the past couple of weeks, I’ve been doing fine.

Yesterday I was looking ahead on my calendar to see when my next dentist appointment is and “Teacher Appreciation Week” popped up for next week. Then, Nicole called to see if I still have Addie’s pickup tag in my car. Of course I do – I never get rid of anything and besides, I think I’ve only been in my car two or three times since I came home from MO in January! Nicole told me that the parents have been asked to go to the school, line up in the car pickup line as if they were picking up their students, stay in their cars and teachers would hand them all the supplies the kids had left at school. Nicole had already thrown away her pickup tags but I told her . . since you’re not actually picking up a student, just write her name and the teacher’s name on a piece of construction paper and put that on your dash. Even I mailed mine on Monday, priority mail, she wouldn’t get it by Wednesday.

So, between missing Teacher Appreciation Week, which was always a big deal when Chad was in school, and thinking about the kids all leaving for spring break, thinking they’d be back in a week . . and they never went back. No goodbyes to friends, or teachers. Addie will be at a different school next year! She was friends with the nurse . . Miss I Think I Need Medical Attention . . every day . . Addie! They had the sweetest principal. Addie would have made an effort to find her kindergarten teacher and tell her goodbye. All that made me sad but then I had an idea.

I called Addie and said “Addie! When I do get to come, since we’re missing Teacher Appreciation Week, why don’t we either take your teacher out for lunch or, you and I can cook lunch for her and have her over. Would you like that? Addie said “Let’s cook in the apartment and have her over there!” OK!

So, I sent her teacher an email:

I talked to Addie today about what we can do for you for Teacher Appreciation (you are appreciated even though she isn’t there to tell you in person). I told her we could take you out to lunch or we could cook lunch for you. She’s big into cooking these days and she wants to cook for you so . . whenever it’s safe to socialize and safe for me to go to MO, Addie and I would love to invite you over for lunch one day. I have no idea when that day will be but hopefully not too much longer.

She wrote me right back:

I turned a sad thought into a happy thought! I can’t wait to see what Addie comes up with to cook. I’m almost certain dessert will be strawberries dipped in chocolate! And they may be dipped in white chocolate and have mini chocolate chips for eyes . . ghosts in May or June! 🙂