I went to the annual Senior Awards dinner for my school last night and presented some awards to three outstanding seniors that I advised in our high school’s Key Club (Key Club is sponsored by Kiwanis and is the largest “service to the community” organization for young people in the world). I had such a good time having dinner with my colleagues and I forgot how funny the people I work with are! We laughed and laughed and laughed. To my surprise also, some of my colleagues put together some care packages and boxes of diapers to help us get started and me pass time while at home. How thoughtful and incredible! I didn’t know what to say. I really work with some amazing people!
After dinner, my award was thankfully like the 4th or 5th award of the night out of pages and pages of awards, so I could get it over with because I hate getting up and presenting these things! I get so unnecessarily nervous! Anyway, it was hard to express how special these kids are to me in front of 200 or so people, but I tried. Just after giving them the gifts, cards, certificates and hugs in recognition, they turned the tables, bringing up a HUGE wrapped gift, a card and flowers from the Key Club! I was speechless! They desperately wanted me to open it in front of all the people there, but I tried to gently coax them to bring it off to the side of the room and I’d open it after the awards ceremony. I was so taken aback, overwhelmed, etc. WOW! Anyway, we all had a seat and waited to open it at the end of the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, we visited and I opened the present which turned out to be a front and back double stroller that will fit our car seats that the club members had saved all their money up for and bought for us. Just incredible. I still keep tearing up thinking about what an amazing thought, let alone present, they worked hard and contributed to get us. I mean, they make minimum wages at HS jobs and imagine how much they had to have saved?? How could I possibly thank them all!? They did this all on their own without me knowing and without any guidance or help. Jason was in on it too but was surprised when he saw what they got us- also very thoughtful (but sneaky!). I just can’t believe it. I wish I could hug them each over and over!
After all of this the real reason I am actually writing this post is that while watching the slide show of pictures of our seniors now and as babies, I thought of our babies. Read the rest of this entry »
