The Night Before Kindergarten

We read the book (thanks Nonie), the backpack is sitting out by the door, packed and ready to go. The new shoes are unlaced waiting for the anxious and excited 5 year old to jump inside and head to her 1st day of Kindergarten. She is ready...I already knew that but just to be sure she announced the other day, " I CAN'T wait for Kindergarten so I can have my OWN space and some space from Carter!" True story! She did hug me tighter tonight and I did stay longer to rub her back, her request every single night. I am excited for her but I also know this is it...she now starts to spend more of her day with other friends and teachers than she does at home and that season that closes with her eyes waking up at the crack of dawn tomorrow ends and that's what's so hard for this mama! I love the season of them home, close by, walking to the park, choosing our days and how we fill them and now they are being chosen for us. I love her company and watching her create. I looked forward to our Mondays and Fridays last year knowing she would be joining Carter and me on whatever adventures we came up with for the day.

I told her tonight I was so excited for her to start Kindergarten and she was going to do AWESOME and learn so many fun things. What I didn't tell her was that I was going to miss finding her tape EVERYWHERE in the house, I would miss her recycled food boxes turned treasure boxes that she  creates and give to each of us throughout the days...I will miss her various stores and what she comes up to sell this time (just this morning before church she came up with a store, set it up, invited Carter who of course "bought" out her store to which she turns to us and says, excuse me is someone going to pay for this little boy's stuff or what?"). I will miss our time that we always took after putting Carter down for a nap to play a game, read books, color or play Barbies. Just the two of us, the time that we would have to find and take advantage of, the time, even with just a little bit goes SO VERY far with this middle child - the meat of our family!

I think it's hard too because I have the perspective of watching my oldest start 4th grade tomorrow! Really??? So I do know that it feels like just the other day that I was taking her to Kindergarten and here she sleeps soundly waiting for her new march down the 4th grade hallway tomorrow. The hallway that isn't filled with camera snapping mama's anymore taking pictures of teacher and daughter. So I have the perspective of not just knowing how fast it goes but actually living how fast it goes! And I have the shoe pictures to prove it...

August 2008

August 2012

Their feet have grown, their legs have grown and their hearts have grown in the short four years and I am the luckiest girl in the world that God chose me to be their mom.

Kennedy & Brooklyn - you are capable of ANYTHING and I love watching you learn and figure that out. I am so proud of your thoughtfulness, your love for God, the kindness you share and the friend you are to others. Just know you aren't supposed to know everything yet and it's ok when you don't know something...you will learn and figure it out, that I have no doubt. And it's like I always tell you...don't ever forget - mama always loves you!

Ok now that the tears the tears are out of the way, Bring on School!!!