It's tricky to be there without the kids. It's tricky to have the empty seats and silence between songs on my ipod. The hardest part is seeing the things that are still there.
There is still the bouquet of flowers that little girl gave me the last day with the biggest hug. I was going to bring them home but I leave them in Care Corner to cheer up my sorting days.
There is the poster on the board with all the Care Corner names that one little guy made one night with all the colors of markers he could find. I meant to give him that the last day but, for some reason, my mind was on other things and I forgot.
There is the money in the poor bank. There are two half dollar pieces that fit through the slot to go in but not through the hole to come out. So our poor bank always has some charity money ready for the giving.
There is an "I 'heart" U" sign in the corner of the board that didn't get erased. Not sure who wrote it but I was glad to see it still there.
There is the basket of playground balls and jump ropes that a week ago were being used in the sweltering heat and are now resting for the next group of Care Corner Kids in August.
And there is that little love note I spoke of in an earlier blog asking "that" question..."I have told you lately that I love you?" That is clipped to my pencil box on my desk and may have a permanent home there.
I heard the church bells at noon today while I was "sorting" and usually when we hear those bells we stop what we are doing and sing "Jesus in the morning, Jesus in the noontime, Jesus when the sun goes down." No one was there to sing it today and I was wishing they were still there. I may be the teacher that doesn't leave and the poor janitors have to ask are you "still there". But I am not the only one who lingers around Care Corner in the summer. One look around the room, I see evidence of Care Corner Kids that were once there...and, in many ways are still there too.