A message

Life has begun to look up and get better, and I am ever so grateful. 
And then there are those times when I once again fall apart.  It is never over bad things at this point, rather it is the good and beautiful things in life that completely break me down. 
Last Thursday and Friday were quite the powerful days. 

Thursday:
I knew that the men's acappella group I had started was singing for assembly that day.  That was the extent of my knowledge.  And then I saw a picture on Twitter of them after the performance.  MY boys... looking sharp and sporting their ever mischievous grins.  I smiled and laughed and wondered how many times it is acceptable to retweet a photo. 
I found out that they sang beautifully.  And then I found out that they talked about acappella before singing and how we made it all happen during my time in England.  We were all a team then.  Sure, I may have rattled on countless times about them being a team unto themselves.  But technically, we were all on that team.  Two months later, I was still a 'part' of that team and they made that known.  My heart almost burst with pride.  They practiced on their own.  They gathered equipment on their own.  They made a PowerPoint and a speech on their own.  They worked together.  They sang for an entire student body... something they had all sworn never to do.  Oh how I wish I could have been a fly on the wall to witness their success firsthand.  Knowing they continued on after I left was inspiring and encouraging.  I think that is one of the greatest wishes that a teacher can ever have.  That their students will want to keep learning, engaging, experiencing and growing in that subject, even after the teacher leaves. 

And then Friday:
I had sent a load of letters to England for all my classes.  I knew that many of them read the letters on Thursday and Friday.  And then I received a message that has melted my heart countless times still first reading it. 

'The letter you sent to 7Awesome was very emotional.  Hope you are having a great time with lots of banter!  ___(Their form prefect is named here) is adamant that he will not sing for us in class but we're working on it.  He did however read the amazing letter to us taking a deep breath before reading the bit about him singing for us.  I hope you can come back to visit or if not to teach.  I hope that when I am older I will have you as my music teacher.  CONGRATULATIONS on your Graduation.  Hope the supply teaching goes well and that you have much success in the future.  I miss coming at a lunch time to come and speak to you and have a serious laugh and do our Sibelius rondos (compositions).  Thank you for giving me my best term ever with the most awesome teacher ever and for making music so fun and special.  Music lesson and lunch times will never be the same again.  You are clearly the best teacher ever and I am missing you so much. But I know that the rest of the class is to.  They always say it is better to have it and lost it than to never have had it at all.  I am so pleased to have had the pleasure to meet you and I hope that I will see you again soon.'

I'm not sure what to write now.  Suffice to say many tears have been shed and still are right now.  This student will never know what these words mean to my heart.  How they touch me to the very core and encourage me.  Despite five thousand miles spanning me and England, my students continue to change me.  I don't really know how else to put it.  I suppose people are tired of hearing about my kids and all.  I had thought that over two months in, it would maybe hurt less.  But it doesn't.  I miss them so.  And I am so proud of all they have and are continuing to accomplish, both academically and in their character.
I am immensely blessed.