To kindergarten …

I’m a planner, but sometimes the best moments can’t be planned. 

 

I few weeks ago when I was adding back-to-school nights and the school calendar to my calendar, I noticed something that made my mother-of-two heart happy. My kids started school the same week, but Ben started preschool on Monday and Cate wouldn’t start kindergarten until Wednesday. That meant I go three hours with my oldest.

So we went on a date after dropping off Ben for his first day of preschool. We had Cracker Barrel for breakfast and then got haircuts. We talked and laughed. And I soaked in the moments with my girl. I don’t usually get time with just her. She didn’t say, but she acted like she was soaking in the attention from me. 

I’m telling you, I couldn’t have planned the start to this new season with a kindergartner any better. And, trust me, I’m surprised I didn’t try. 

I’m so proud of the girl she is. She loves people and thinks about others. She’s funny and smart. She is cautious but not usually scared. She remembers details and tells all kinds of stories. She likes to read and write and draw.

And, really, she’s ready for school. Real school. She wants to learn to read and spell more words. She’s excited to make new friends and go to a new place. She knows she has friends going to other schools, but she hasn’t questioned our choice that is somewhat against the norm. She doesn’t really know what all school entails, but she’s embracing the idea. As her mom, I’m thrilled we’ve found a school that’s not just focused on reading, writing and math. It’s also a place full of people that will teach her about how God made the world and is in charge of all the details in it while teaching character traits that I pray my daughter possesses.

People keep warning me to bring tissues when I leave her at kindergarten, her first all-day school experience. Honestly, I’m not sure I’ll cry. I’ve been thinking about it. I may. But I’m thinking I’ll watch my big girl walk into that room with confidence and excitement. She’s already told me what books she’ll read in bed to herself once she can really read. She’s creative. And she loves being around people. So, really, I think she was made for this. Her growing up to this point has happened quickly. There’s no doubt we reached this place sooner than I anticipated. But here we are. And this is part of what we’ve been preparing her to do.