Goodbye Party at Hoikuen

Several months ago Miu's Mom asked if we were planning to do some kind of goodbye party with Jolon and Kellan's classes. I said I'd like to but wasn't sure what to do. She took it from there and worked with several moms in both classes and organized an amazing event. I didn't know how the event would go, but I've been in Japan long enough to know that I was going to be expected to make a speech. Chikako helped me write the first and last part in Japanese and Sachi read over the middle and agreed to translate it after I read the English. We arrived on time at 11:00 to a room full of people in the hall. Organized chaos as the pre-ordered lunch boxes were distributed, the last people found their seats, and Sachi made sure the microphone worked. Someone whispered to me that about 100 people...almost everyone in both classes, including lots of fathers had shown up. I fought back tears just looking around at all of the people who have played such a big part in the lives of Jolon and Kellan these past 5 years. Walking in the room I immediately noticed the beautiful, hand-made decorations. Apparently each family had been given 10 or 20 strips of colored paper and been asked to make a paper chain, bring it back to school and then they were all attached and hung from the ceiling. You can see in the pictures the amazing signs that Imamura-san and Hamada-san made. After Sachi said hello and welcome to everyone she announced that we would start with the ubiquitous group picture. Again chaos but somehow within 10 minutes everyone had joined together and we took several group shots. I started my speech, which took way longer than I expected because I forgot just how much longer it would take to translate into Japanese. My delivery wasn't great (I was really nervous), but thanks to Sachi the meaning was clear and I think it was a good speech. I did cry but didn't completely break down which I was worried about. We organized to bring an English book for each child so I started pulling them out of the sacks and assumed Sachi would just call out each child's name. But someone had the idea that Jolon and Kellan should announce the child's name into the microphone and that each child should then come up, receive their book, and say "arrigatou," into the microphone. Parents starting trying to take pictures of their kid receiving his book. Took ages but was very sweet. I'd made a cake for each class and so next the cakes were announced and brought out. I started to eat my lunch and figured that the teachers were going to make speeches and it would be over. But before the teachers spoke, one by one, each mother stood up and said something to us: telling us what we and/or the boys meant to them, or related a funny story or wished us well in the States. Lots of tears. Some women couldn't even finish speaking they got so choked up. We've really made some good friends here. Raising children is so difficult and having a network of friends like this has been very important to me. Thank you Aozora Moms. Thank you Lion Moms. We love you.