"Ms. Etter, I told Judith I was going to miss you.."

Today, Fatima and I were walking to the bathroom, and she hugged me and said, “Ms. Etter, yo dije a Judith que le voy a extrañar.” Fatima is my little sidekick. She is one of the most precious and funny little girls I have ever met. She started this thing where she writes me notes on little pieces of paper to tell me she is finished with her work, or that she would like to pass out folders. The other day, she forgot a book at home that I had let her borrow, and she wrote me a note and she started off saying:
“Querida Tiffany…” lol! Don’t ask me why my students write me notes and like to refer to me by my first name. They would never call me Tiffany out loud, but for some reason love to write it in notes, on drawings, etc. Anyway, she proceeded to apologize for leaving the book at home and that she would be sure to bring it tomorrow. This morning as I was helping another student, she walked up to my desk and slid the book onto my desk and peered at me over her glasses. I smiled and said, “Thank you, sweetheart.” She covered her face and walked away. She is too cute.
I am going to miss that little girl as well. She makes me laugh every time she asks if she can use the bathroom when we are all in line to go, or if she can drink water as we are lining up at the fountain. Sometimes she will say funny things like, “Oh, how beautiful this day is,” or tell me how her niece calls her “Kakima.”
In truth, I am going to miss all of my little munchkins. Today was the last day of summer school, and I made all of my naughty boys hug me. I told them I would miss them and to let me know how they are doing once in awhile. Because our school is closing down, the kids are all going to different schools. I am sure I will see some of them next year, but my first fourth grade class in being displaced for the most part. It makes me sort of blue as I think about not seeing them turn into naughty middle schoolers next year.
So, as my little Fatima informed me today, “Voy a extrañar a mis estudiantes, también.”