They all received laminated name tags with frogs on them. Except Olivia. Mrs. Hawthorne somehow overlooked Olivia's name on the list. Fortunately, Miss Lydia was able to make her a nametag with the same frog (only slightly bigger and not laminated) and saved the day because Olivia was about ready to commence pouting.
She donned her newly created nametag and I gave her a hug and walked out the door ---just as I do every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning. But this morning, as I walked past that big yellow school bus in the parking lot, I found myself reduced to tears. And it's not even the REAL thing! It's just the 'dry run'.
Time for a distraction. Ah...a 'yard sale' sign... When I picked Olivia up, sitting in her carseat was a purple CareBear that I found at the sale. Today is Friday and Friday is "surprise day". I always have some little thing waiting for her when preschool is over. She was thrilled to see the purple bear and bubbled with enthusiasm as she told me all about her trip to her soon-to-be kindergarten classroom.
We came home and told Brillo Man that Olivia was SO EXCITED when she saw the school bus, knowing she was going to ride the bus to the school. I'm sure he noticed the lump in my throat because he looked at me and said, "On Olivia's first day of school in the fall, I'm going to be no where near the end of the driveway because YOU are going to be a basket case." He's right. I will be.
Last evening I attended a "Getting Ready for Kindergarten" seminar at the school. It was more about getting the parents ready to 'let go' more than anything else - giving us suggestions as to how to make that 'transition' easier for both children and parents. No amount of tips or suggestions is going to make that transition easier for me.
Today, Olivia appeared as "The Sock Monster" --sorting through the basket of clean laundry which I had not yet folded, scattering it all over the floor as she created her 'costume'. And after her bath tonight, I held her wrapped in her towel, as I often do, and sang "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your paths straight." Then we sing it a "silly" way...substituting other words for 'heart' and 'straight'. ...maybe knees and zebras.... trust Him with your knees and He'll fill your path with zebras. She giggles and giggles. And then we sing it the right way again. One day, she'll be too big for me to hold her and sing her songs.
My problem is that I don't want my Sock Monster to grow up. I want to hold her on my lap forever after her bath and sing in her ear. I want every Friday to always be "Surprise Day" But, growing up she is... and it's happening - right in front of my eyes - way too fast.
--Isaiah 49:15a
4 comments:
I have to admit those feelings didn't hit me till much later...like now! I couldn't wait to send my kids off to school and be FREE!!! Maybe it's because I had the first at 19 or maybe it's just because I'm selfish!
Regarding the peanut butter monster - I think if you dipped her in chocolate she would make the most delicious peanut butter cup!
Hey, I like your Guidepost picture -when are they going to feature it?
it is going to fly way too fast. the only thing to do is to cherish the days, exactly as you are. p.s. i cried for the start of pre-school;kindergarten; most of the first days of school after that; commencements; first day of college...you'd think i'd be dehydrated. but they aren't sad tears, they are tears at how overwhelmed i am at my undeserved blessings.
See how they grow... We had Kindergarten Graduation on Friday and our little boy is trying to act SO grown-up. You're gonna make it, Friend. Just keep looking UP!
If you want Friday to continue to be surprise Friday, then do it! I still surprise Phyllis with stuff, yesterday was "a caramel ice-e from Panera" surprised her! She got to drink it in church, shhhh!
If you were to ask me what my favorite age of Phyllis's was, I could not tell you, I loved them for all different reasons! Each age is great for it's own reason. I even liked the 2s & 3s, and so far, the teens are pretty good!
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