Sharing the love.

Well, the school year is in full gear for me. I am back to my old routine, lay my clothes out the night before, pack my lunch, get the coffee ready, but after teaching for 3 years, I finally feel like I can relax a little bit at school and enjoy myself. The pressure isn't on to develop totally new ideas, I have lesson plans that I can refer back to every week.

Before school started, I was trying to organize two art rooms, clean and put away supplies. In the midst of it all, I had the most disheartening thought! My very first group of 2nd graders had finished 4th grade in May and they are going off to middle school this year and I am going to miss them!

I decided to let each and every one of them know that they are special and important to me. I went to the front office, got out the information book, looked up the addresses of each child, which I wrote on post cards and then I wrote a personalized message to each and every on of my former students. I told them how much I would miss them, how they are always welcome to visit, and good luck in middle school.

My writing fingers were sore by the time I was done hand writing every message, but it was worth it!! I hand stamped the front of the post cards with Close to My Heart's Doodle Art Stamp set and put them in the mail the very next morning. The cards arrived to the students before open house a few days before school started and I was so glad that I had written the letters when the kids came up to hug me and say, "Thank you for the card Mrs. Mitchell"....the love in their eyes...it was so special and even though I didn't see all of them that night, the ones I have see since then give me an extra special hug and they remember how much I care about them.

Sharing the love....that is what it is all about....I encourage you to use your talent...even if it is just a simple post card....to tell someone how much they mean to you. Get all those cards our of your basket or drawer, pick out the very best one (you already have a picture of it), hand write a heart felt note on the inside, buy a stamp, and put a note in the mail for someone who would benefit from a little bit of unexpected love. It will come back to you ten fold.