The Birthday Celebration

I can't tell you how touched I am by 2-4.

Although I've taught most of you in Sec 1 (except the Malay students and 5 new members), I never expected something so grand from you guys. After all, I can be quite a tyrant and a meanie at times. :P

2-4 is rushing me to post about Monday asap but I've been so busy lately, meeting friends and all. Hehe... So, here's one post, w/o pictures.

Boys and girls, send me the pictures!!! Find me to get my private email address (not my msn email add) coz I want to keep the pictures too!

Anyway, Monday, 8/2, was just another ordinary workday for me. And I looked very blue - coz of my clothes (which some claim that I look as if I was run over by a car and the car wheel marks are left all over me. T_T)

When I first entered 2-4, they asked if I would stay back after school and I said I couldn't due to a meeting. The girls' looks gave them away, coz I felt some sort of anticipation through their eyes. :P

Didn't think much into it until I received a call from Adeline (our chairperson) at 11.20am. I wondered why she was calling me when she was supposed to be in class and the place she was at sounded so noisy... She didn't tell me her whereabouts but told me to go to class earlier (next period is my Chinese class).

I just thought something might be in place, so I went over.

The kids looked so surprised to see me and I was 'chased' out coz apparently, according to Rachael, "the classroom is under construction". ?!?!

Then I stood outside and waited. Soon, I saw the relief teacher walking out with a queer smile. Stepping into the class that day was different. The kids looked excited and I was given a huge surprise...

The entire whiteboard was filled with birthday greetings - in Chinese, English and Korean... Little drawings, close to heart well-wishes... and a resounding birthday song came shortly after.

I looked around and realised... some members were missing.

"Where's Adeline?" I asked.

"Don't know." the kids said. Ya rite... They must be up to 'no good'...

And true enough, in a short while, the missing members returned, with a cake in their hands...

I see the smiles, hear the laughs, feel their warmth and my silly tears started welling up in my eyes.

I've never had 31 people celebrating my birthday for me.

Or should I say, I've never really celebrated my birthday. My parents never threw a birthday party for me before and so we only cut a cake or have a meal and that's that. No birthday bashes, no birthday outings...

Touched to the core, I must say.

And so, we sang the birthday song again, with 31 kids huddling around the teacher's desk, candle flames prancing around so prettily and happy faces (and some cameras) filling up the entire space.

Memorable. Ultimately unforgettable.

Then it was the wish-making, candle-blowing, cake-cutting, gifts-presenting and photo-taking.

We had much fun. And they made me feel like the idol-of-the-day, with cameras shooting non-stop - glam or unglam.

^_^ And there, here's the birthday post.

The biggest birthday present from my lovely 2-4 darlings is really the thought, the love and the joy they bring me...

Love you guys~~~~


<3
2-4's laoye