I love to fill out birthday cards!

I just filled out 15 birthday cards this morning for my students and I loved it!  Each card I fill out I try and do something personal to remind them how much I appreciate and love them.  Today I did a little doodle of a stick person doing karate and told them they are awesome.  I traced my hand the other day to give a student a high five via the card.  I wrote a students name 50 times on a card so when they got to the end I made sure I had their attention.  I also make check lists, tell jokes and I always remind them how grateful I am that they allow me to be a part of their life.  Yes they allow me to be a part of their life is the correct verbiage.  They can always be a part of mine but I have to earn the right to stay in theirs.  I take that very seriously and maintain that level of humility in all that I can and will do for them.  They decide to be my students and for that I am grateful.  I tell them I love them all the time and they look at me weird like the word love is exclusive to parents and grandparents.  I try and make them aware that love is why I do what I do.  Love is the answer to all the worlds problems and most importantly it's the reason I get to write them a birthday card.  I'll keep saying it until they believe it when I am no longer able to say it anymore.  The best gift I can give them on their special day is for them to know that I think they are pretty amazing and that I am so very proud to be a part of their lives.