A Day of Lasts...

Today is the last Monday Alan will attend school.
Today is the last time I will iron his school uniform.
Today is the last time I will see most of the brilliant staff who have been supporting him over the last two years since he moved to this wonderful school.
Today is the last school prize-giving I will attend.

It's been emotional.

I met David outside Alan's school at 1.30 and in we went. Took our seats in the hall with the other parents and watched as the young people filed in and took their seats. Took Alan a second or two to spot us but when he did, he was full of smiles.

I was already feeling emotional then THIS started playing in the hall. My lip was trembling by now and it hadn't even started!

Head Teacher spoke briefly at the start about achievement, pride, hard work and inspiration but I was concentrating too hard on not making a fool of myself to take in much of what she said.

Onto the awards and my goodness, the things the kids in that school have achieved. it is absolutely wonderful and so great to see their pride in their achievements. And I love that lots of the children's difficulties mean that they have no filter when it comes to their emotions. One lad positively skipping onto the stage in delight, another raising his certificates above his head for all to see, and one yawning loudly at the point of presentation as if to say Yeah, whatever :-)))

A special moment was when Alan's friend Andrew was awarded the school's Citizen of the Year Award. A well deserved prize and it was lovely to share his delight. He truly is a wonderful young man.

As for Alan, well he was a star, collecting three certificates as well as his Leaver's Hoodie and a fantastic year book celebrating each of the young people leaving on Thursday. He grinned at us, at staff and at his fellow classmates. We told him how proud we are of him and asked if he was proud of himself. He said yes. :-))

After the prize-giving there was tea/coffee and strawberry tarts then it was time to head home otherwise Alan would have been home before us.

School trip to the Riverside Museum in Glasgow tomorrow. Alan's really looking forward to it.

And that was Monday.