I rushed out of a meeting running late to get to your school in time for your art walk. My brain was wired for work, so as I walked in to your school, my brain was still busy. And then I saw the line of kids and parents who walked through the school to pick out their art work and make a donation in honor of you, sweet Jacob. It was crazy busy. It was overwhelming. It was beautiful. By the time, your dad made it to school, some of the walls were already empty from art being sold. I loved to see your picture, your name, and messages of love in the middle of a whole school's creativity. If anyone loved art it was you. There was no subject you loved more than art. You and Mr. Klein had your own relationship, and he really got you. He really knew how to get your creativity out of you, and he knew how to wait and listen for you to speak your mind. I loved hearing the stories of your art lessons in the car on the way home from school. I have your art all over the house.
Two of your beautiful teachers who love you to pieces put on this art walk. They put on the gallery walk to raise funds for a memory bench for you, sweet Jacob. It's going to be on the backside of the school where I always picked you up. Children and teachers can sit on the bench during recess, and they will remember and hear stories about you for years to come. I just love this idea because there was no happier place for you than Coyote Ridge.
As the kids worked on their art pieces, they got to learn about you. They got to learn that you loved the outdoors, that you loved school, that you loved playing with your friends, and that you loved to paint and craft.
I have to admit. It's hard walking through the doors of your school. It's hard because I am not pushing you in your wheel chair through the front doors and seeing your smiling para Nerma anymore. There is an emptiness walking through the doors without you. You are the reason I know this school. I honestly didn't realize until after you died how incredibly happy you were at Coyote Ridge, and what an incredible school environment you had. You were always completely included in the classroom and you made so many friends. Your teachers and therapists went out of their way to make sure you had everything you needed to be successful. This is the place you got to simply be a kid. No blood work, no vitals, no tests. This is the place where it was all about your abilities, not your disabilities. How incredibly happy I am you had all that in your life.
Your very dear friend CJ who is now in middle school came to your art walk with his mom. It fills my heart every time I get to see CJ. He of course snagged the Minion picture before anyone else could. He picked it because he knew you loved the Minions.
And I ran into your favorite girl Emma from kindergarten. She's so grown up now. Her eyes were glittering as we talked about you two. You always picked the best girls, and you always had an eye on the pretty girls. It was as if you knew you didn't have all the time in the world, so better go for the most beautiful kind hearted girls starting already in preschool. You wasted no time.
It was a perfect Tuesday. Your whole school community came together doing something you loved more than anything, art. You loved people, and that's what I got to witness. So much love for you. Soon, it's going to be a bench so we can all keep your memory in our hearts. I'm planning on taking a walk to your school with a good cup of coffee and simply sit and hold you in my heart.
Sweet Jacob, I love you to the moon and back.
And to this day, I am so incredibly proud of you.
With so much love,
mom.
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