Jen's Journal

My first assistant was very shy and very sweet. When I opened up to me I learned how complicated her world was, how haunted by the past, and how supported she was in Minnesota. Losing her was rough. She had a way with kids that just came naturally. I could never sooth them that way. I just ignore them and hope they stop crying, hope they self sooth. She enjoyed helping me pick out our next wall decorations and and crafts for the kids to do. We even worked on it after work once. I still miss her some days.

My next co-teacher was exactly that, a co-lead. We shared the responsibilities equally, though some days I worried I didn’t do enough. She was great with the kids, again having that natural ability to sooth the children and make it seem effortless. She did so much for the kids and the classroom that most days, I still don’t think I’m living up to her. I miss our conversations, how easy it was to share everything with her. I never once felt judged for anything I said.

And finally, my current co-teacher is a 73-year-old lady who moves faster than most girls our age. She was born two minutes before Halloween. She has one pair of jeans, and she was has been divorced longer than I’ve been alive. She’s an amazing human being, and though I just met her I know we’ll get along well.

Saying goodbye is never going to be easy for me, but I’ve realized one goodbye means another hello, and honestly I’ve been blessed with the most amazing women to work along with.