Goodbye...

So I guess this is goodbye.  I can't believe how quickly the time has gone by.  It seems like just the other day I was standing nervous and alone loading the plane headed to Hawaii.  I had no idea what to expect or what I was doing.  Ten months ago I didn't know how to teach or handle a classroom, I didn't know what life in Yap would be like, or how hot it could get outside.  I didn't know what it was like to fall in love with a room full of students and I had no idea how hard it would be to say goodbye.  This week went by quickly.  It started with a beach trip with the freshmen.  Later that day an outer island family came and brought me a lava lava.  It's the most intricate one I have, such tiny little stitches put it together.  On Monday Sabrina and I invited two sisters, one a junior the other a sophomore, to come over.  We made them lunch and talked for a long time and sang out on the deck.  Tuesday was the 8th grade graduation and the day for me to officially start freaking out about the 12th grade grad.  I've been planning all year, but I felt like I was still so unprepared! Two years ago I was graduating, and now I was supposed to plan and lead a graduation!? The freak out only lasted about an hour and then I realized I had it under control :).  We spent all day Wednesday at the community center setting up. God sent so many blessings. First He gave us a sunny day.  It had been pouring rain from a tropical storm all week and it was supposed to keep going but it didn't.  It didn't rain all day Wednesday, during graduation, or now even.  Lots of students showed up to help and eventually parents too.  Lots of problems came up but we were able to work through all of them thanks to all those helping.  The practice went well the students seemed ready.  Thursday morning I was back at the community center putting up the finishing touches.  It felt so surreal, it didn't seem like I could be there already, at my classes graduation.  Part way through the grad I gave my remarks to the class, here is what I said....

"Your senior year is over! I know you have looked forward to this for a long time.  For some of you maybe it felt like it too forever, but for others it went by too fast.  For me as your teacher, it went by way too fast.  There are so many memories with each of you I will never forget.  I will never forget the first day of school when you all filed into the class and I told Ron to leave because he wasn't on my list.  I was sure you guys were trying to trick me! I'm sorry about that.  I'll never forget the day I turned around from writing notes on the chalkboard to find Riley wearing a girls uniform skirt.  Or all the mornings you sang "We are Soldiers" trying to name everybody in the class so you could delay math class.  I'll never forget how you all worked together for United Nations day, you guys did such a good job.  Or all the ways you would try to talk your way out of cleaning.  I remember one time I caught a few of you drawing on each others heads instead of cleaning the windows and you claimed your heads needed cleaning.  I'll never forget how you all surprised me for my birthday, blind folding me and taking me to my cake, even though it was a month after my birthday, that just made it more of a surprise.  I'll never forget all the times each of you made me laugh and all the things you have taught me.  You have taught me patience throughout this year.  I've learned a lot about friendship from all of you.  You are so loyal to each other, willing to help each other however you can, and I admire that.  The most important thing I will never forget is each of you.  You are my first class and no matter how many classes I teach throughout my life, you will always be special to me. I'm so excited for each of you.  You have so many opportunities ahead of you.  I hope you embrace the motto you have chosen "We don't limit our challenges.  We challenge our limits".  You have many challenges ahead of you,  but I know you can do it.  You have friends and family to back you up.  I'm here to help any way that I can.  Most importantly you have God.  No matter where you end up, he is always nearby ready to help.  I want to share Phil. 1:9-10 "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ..." I will continue to pray for all of you and whatever challenges lie ahead.  The last day of school I read you "Oh the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss. I'd like to share some of it again now, "Congratulations, today is your day! you're off to great places! You're off and away!  You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.  You're on your own.  And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go." Filly, Ron, Cody, Riley, Dylan, Jelena, Jilda, Vyvah, Sam, Paula, Norma, Leyah: I'm so proud of all of you.  It has been an honor to teach you this year, I love you and I will never forget you. 'Your're mountain is waiting, so... get on your way.'"

I couldn't make eye contact with my students as I spoke, I was so close to tears.  Each student gave a beautiful tribute to their parents, we shared lots of hugs, they sang a song, and their families coated them in leis.  They had so many leis I could barely see their eyes! These last few days have gone by in a bit of a blur.  One last trip to town, one last vespers.  We were each given a grass skirt after vespers, which is about the coolest souvenir I can think of. It take months to make each grass skirt, they are so cool!  We taught one last sabbath school class to the youth, they sang us a song to say thank you.  Two students I have grown very close to came to church and sat with me.  They said they would be at the airport tonight too.  Leaving is going to be so hard.  Thank you so much for all of your support and prayers for me this year.  It's time for me to say goodbye.  I have been saying "see you later" instead.  I hope God brings me back here someday.  Until then, goodbye Yap, I'm going to miss you.