Goodbyes

 This is my cohort.

For the past two years, we have sat together, almost always in the same classroom, almost always in the same spots. [My classmate talks about this in her blog, too. You can visit her blog here.]

Each table group kind of developed their own identity. The group pictured above could be classified as the work smarter, not harder group. They were always splitting up their assignments into four parts, each taking a part; combining the science lesson plan with the art lesson plan to kill two birds with one stone; you get the idea. They are amazing. I want to be like them when I grow up. Hehe.

We also taught together, a LOT.

Jeseela and I [pictured above] were partners for nearly everything. Partners in crime, that is. Hence the policeman smiling before he escorts us out of the building. Hehe.

Here we are again, just the two of us at our table group. Front and center. I'm not sure what our identity was. Maybe the no talking group. Not that we didn't talk, but it's pretty difficult to hold a sidebar conversation during class when you're only a few feet away from the instructor. Get my gist?

One of my favorite things to do with the cohort was celebrating birthdays!

All this to say,

We are done.

Finished.

Gone!

From now on, it's goodbye college, hello real-world application! We had our final class time together last Thursday, and, this upcoming quarter we'll all be student teaching in various schools and classrooms in the surrounding area. There are a lot of emotions wrapped up in this event. I'm SO excited to student teach, and just as excited to graduate in June! But -- gosh, am I nervous? YES! And then, of course, there are the goodbyes to my classmates, and all the nostalgia that comes along with it.

I guess it's all a part of growing up,

moving on,

as a cowork and I discussed on our last day of work earlier this year,

it's bigger and better things for us.

And how true that is. "Hello" implies there will be a "goodbye," and "goodbye," implies there will be another "hello." If we hate goodbyes, we're hating a large chunk of our lives! This is not to mention that we're hating the "hello" God has positioned on the other side of the "goodbye."

And so one chapter of Dahlia's life draws to a close.

It's goodbye, student.

Hello, teacher.

Hello, destiny!

Here we go, God!