Blown Away . . . Again!!!! (Todd blogs)

Through it all I have been going to work, doing my job, loving kids, singing songs, playing games, sometimes on only a few hours sleep and with the constant worry of all that is going on at home. I love my job and have been at a great school (Alouette Elementary) for ten years now. I've always put up a strong front that everything is fine at home because for the most part we have managed pretty well. But the tough times we were having with Kourtney came to a head just before school began in September and since Kourtney was a new student at my school our lives became quite a bit more transparent. It is obvious to staff that things are not right when I arrive at school alone and I have started to open up more about the struggles we are going through.

Different staff members have had their classes sing songs (see the blog archive), make cards, and write stories to Kourtney. Different staff and students have simply passed on a 'hello' to Kourtney. Last week the staff fridge and freezer were full of frozen meals, enough to last for several weeks! More people were willing to give but our freezer at home was full and I had to spill over to my parents freezer.

At Alouette, the staff have a top secret way of signing cards for other staff members. They send a student from room to room and make sure all the staff have a chance to write on the card. I've done this many times but today it was my turn to receive a card. I waited until I got home to open the card and gave another card they had prepared for Kourtney. We couldn't believe our eyes when we opened Kourtney's card and saw $70 in iTunes gift cards! (Kourtney loves her music & you'll hear more about that in the near future.) But when Janelle and I opened my card we saw what I can only describe as a ridiculous amount of money along with a card of encouragement. One of the notes said, "Hope this helps with the cost of the dressings." It will!!

All this while we have been thinking about switching Kourtney back to Abbotsford as the renovations to the middle school will be complete in January. However, after opening the cards and seeing the response of my staff, Kourtney's staff, we will be staying right where we are. I told Kourtney that in Abbotsford she would have a caring TA and her friends would be near, but at Alouette she has a family who cares. Everyone from the principal to the custodians and everyone in between has taken an interest in Kourtney. We would be crazy to switch schools now. I just can't wait for them to know the Kourtney that Janelle and I have known for all these years.

So to my friends at Alouette, THANK YOU!!! Who knows, maybe I'll be at Alouette for life like a few of you.

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