3-5 de junio

¡Hola Familias!

Well, here we are with our final blog post of the year. We had a wonderful week! We had lots of fun this celebrating each other, sharing our final writing, signing yearbooks with classmates and SI friends, and playing together. Special thanks to Michelle Slager for her help organizing our fun piñata party on Monday--it was a blast!

Can you believe how quickly the year has flown by?! As I sit in our empty classroom and reflect back on our year, I am so thankful--thankful for the good times as well as the hard times. Thankful for the smiles, laughs, headaches, and yes, the tears as well. 

On a personal note...this year has been a difficult one for me. Some of you already know that I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes midway through the year. Learning to cope with this new condition that will last for the rest of my life has been...well, hard. In the midst of my diagnosis, my family was feeling strongly called (it's been a process that has lasted several years!) to make big changes and say "yes" to serving God overseas, in a new country and culture. But saying "yes" to going to Guatemala means saying "goodbye" for a time to our friends, family, church, and school. It means stepping away from Rose Park, from a place I have grown to love, a place my kids have called their second home, for a season. 

This year I have started to learn what Paul meant when he said that "His power is made perfect in my weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9). I am sure that, as my family steps into our next season of life, that we will continue to see His power present, even when we feel weak ourselves.

Your child went home today with a prayer card and a special bracelet with the Guatemalan flag. I would like to ask, if I may, that you hold up my family in prayer as we take our next journey of faith. Please pray for protection over us, for our kids to thrive, for relationships to be built, for health and strength. Most importantly, please help us praying that God's name will be glorified and that we might do a little bit to advance His kingdom in Chichicastenango, Guatemala. 

All that being said, I am so incredibly thankful for each one of your children and for the joy that he/she brought to our classroom each day. We had a wonderful time together, learned a lot, and celebrated so much! I will truly miss them all next year.

Your child brought home a few items over the last few days that I'd like to point out to you. They are...

-Your child's writing portfolio: a red folder with some work I've saved from over the entire school year. I hope you are as proud of your child as I am!

-A devotional book from Mrs. Winningham called "Tiempo con Jesús" (Time with Jesus). You can find QR codes, coloring pages, and writing prompts based on all of the scripture we've memorized (in both languages) over the past year!

-Your child's baton. This is a tradition at Holland Christian where we "pass the baton" each year from one teacher to another. You'll find a note I've written to your child (feel
free to Google translate!). Please hold on to it to give to your child's teacher next year.

-A photo placemat/keepsake your child painted. I apologize that a few of them got a little wrinkled by our finicky laminator!

-An envelope with your child's NWEA/MAP score report. We took these standardized tests in the beginning, middle, and end of the year. While it is a useful tool to measure growth, bear in mind that it is only one illustration of growth. These tests can be a little tricky for kindergarteners. :)

What a wonderful year we've had together! Again, I am so thankful for the opportunity to teach your child this year in kindergarten. I wish your family the best of summers, full of joy and quality family time! Thank you for your partnership with me this year, and I pray that God will bless your family and make His love and grace known to you, today and every day!

Con mucho amor / With much love,

Maestra Klipp Lopez