:D :'( :D :'(

Ok... I officially have mixed emotions...

I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT NEXT YEAR!!! I'm going to be in high school; I'll have new challenges to face... This is going to be GREAT!!! :D :D :D

Wait a minute... what about all of the excellent memories I made at my current school...

What about all of the staff members who I will most likely never see again...

What about all of the friends I made who aren't going to my high school next year...

:'(

Looking back, I realized that quite a few of my teachers left for whatever reason the year after they taught me.

Mrs. Ringo, my 1st and 2nd grade teacher, retired the year after I graduated from 2nd grade. The last time I saw her was when I ran into her in Rack Room Shoes in 4th grade while looking for shoes for my upcoming piano recital.

Mrs. Coss switched to a different school after I graduated elementary school (She was my teacher in 5th grade).

Mrs. Jackson, my Target teacher during my last semester of elementary school, retired at the same time that Mrs. Coss switched schools.

Mrs. Holbrook, the assistant band director who worked alongside Mrs. Pezold when I was in 6th grade, was promoted to conduct a band at a different middle school on my last day of 6th grade.

Mr. Stillwell, my STEM teacher and First Lego League (FLL) coach in 6th grade, left our school after my 6th grade year to work for the robotics program at Georgia Tech (now Mrs. Quarles serves as the STEM teacher and FLL coach). DragonWolf70 and I didn't learn that he left until the summer following 6th grade.

We just learned a few days ago that Dr. Strauss, the assistant band director succeeding Mrs. Holbrook, will retire once school ends...

And just now my mom told me that our beloved Mrs. Bonstein, my current Language Arts and Social Studies teacher, will be retiring after this year as well... :'(

Me: -shows Mom yearbook- :D
Mom: -looks through the yearbook and reaches the Faculty page- Oh, there's Mrs. Bonstein! :)
Me: (thinks: Haha, yep! :D)
Mom: I actually heard she is retiring after this year...
Me: WHAT?!?! :O :(
Mom: Yeah... I saw a list of retiring teachers, and she was on there.
Me: D: -has to check the list of retiring teachers to believe her-

I don't know what to do... I'm super exhilarated about starting high school, but I'm also extremely heartbroken because of all the friends and memories I will never see again...

Well, that's all for now, and have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!