The past two weeks have been so emotional.

Not emotional in a bad way.

More like there’s just so much going on and everything is spinning and my heart is just so full and, just when I think it can’t fill up anymore, it just goes ahead and proves me wrong. Crazy organ. Get under control.

Last week, I broke down in an IEP meeting. Partially because some of my favorites are going off to middle school and I can’t imagine what my life will be like without seeing them every day. And partially because I’m just worried that whoever inherits my babies aren’t going to love them in the same way our school and staff and community do.

I want to follow them. As they make their journey through middle school and high school and college. I want to make sure they get all the things that they need. And I want to make sure that nobody turns their back on them just because they can get a little crazy and a little defiant.

 

I want to tell all their future teachers that they don’t necessarily need a behavior plan simply because they refuse to do work. What they need is a relationship. Someone that they can rely on. Someone that they can feel safe coming to and saying, “I don’t understand. I need help.”

 

I want parents to know that they are in control. That they have a voice in everything that is discussed in an IEP meeting. That they are their child’s biggest advocate. That they have the incredible privilege of following their kids year after year. And that, despite what anybody tells them, THEY are the ones that know their kids the best and their opinion is so incredibly valuable.

There is just so much emotion going on. I don’t know whether to laugh or to cry.

Maybe I should just sit with all the emotion for a little bit. Because when I sit and really THINK about how I feel at any given moment of the day, I realize just how UNBELIEVABLY lucky I am to get to be doing what I’m doing.