During my next post, I’m going to share with you guys Rose’s last month at Mrs. Paula’s Preschool and our experience of saying goodbye to our toddler whisperer/real life Mary Poppins/educator extraordinaire.  For some people, teaching is just a job, for others it is a passion, and then for every one in a million, it is the air they breathe.  Our family has been inspired, uplifted, encouraged, motivated and given hope by the energy Mrs. Paula has shared with our preschoolers.  There are no words to describe our love and gratitude, but if you have followed our blog for even a little while, you know how much Mrs. Paula has poured into our kids by the pictures she took of them all day, every day, and then faithfully shared with us.  I honestly have prolonged these next few posts for as long as possible, because I just haven’t wanted saying goodbye to be official.  I kept thinking, if there are pictures on her share site I haven’t seen yet, there are still new experiences left for me to discover.  In a weird way, this has helped me cope, like almost saying goodbye in phases.  I bought a nice card for her and started writing my thank you/goodbye letter during our last week of school, but quickly ripped it up and threw it in the trash, tears flowing.  I wasn’t ready for that yet.  I still have yet to write her a card or give her a going away present.  I’m just not ready, and her family hasn’t officially moved to California yet, so I still have time… to keep saying goodbye.    Endings are so very sad and hard.  I always look back and wonder where all the time went and how the middle was in fact the best part.  Endings always help me reflect on how I can make the present count for more.  And while this is a beautiful ending of a sweet sweet chapter for our family that has a happy ending for our teacher, it still leaves my heart aching.  It just wasn’t planned for any of us, and the loss of the year and a half Rose was going to have in this fairytale just wasn’t meant to be.  So, I’ll press into that ache and ponder thoughts of deep gratitude and thanks.  Mrs. Paula has given our littles a wonderland of discoveries, where stomping in rain puddles were encouraged, where playing in leaves were common play, and where the kids’ imaginations set the stage for each and every day.  Words can’t explain how much we are going to miss her or how incredibly blessed we feel to have been a part of something this special!  We love you, Mrs. Paula, and will never ever forget all the amazing memories you made with us!