Well it's official! We have a Kindergartner in the house! It is so hard for me to believe Hannah is ready to begin school, but she is and she has!
On Monday John stayed home and I took Hannah for a short 1hr orientation to her classroom, school, teacher, etc... I thought this was SO helpful for Hannah (and me!). It helped alleviate any nervousness and this morning she was ready to conquer the day!
Just last year Idaho switched to full day preschool twice per week and every other Friday. I remember hearing this on the news and feeling very angry that they wanted to take my child for an entire day! Yes she's 5 and yes she's tall.... but she's SO little and young! An entire day??? Are you crazy???
So I have been preparing an entire year for this day. Not sure how the morning would play out John stayed home this AM as well to help me out. Yesterday morning (when she didn't have to go to school...) I awoke at 4am extremely upset that this day is finally here. I love being with my kids. I love being with them all day everyday.... It's not that I don't like my breaks :) BUT... even after a year of preparation I was still not ready to send her off quite yet. So my wonderful husband woke up with me and comforted me as I cried, whined, sniffed, and blew my nose from 4-5:40am... (John says that they should never make a pregnant hormonal mother send her first child to kindergarten... funny man he is!) But after two hours of this.... I felt better.
You see, the little girl in the picture above has never heard my fears, she has never felt my anxiety, and I have never spent 2hrs crying on her shoulder about the day I would have to send her to school and not have contact with her for a full 7hrs. When Hannah and I converse about school the conversations are exciting and hopeful and energetic! We talk about all of the incredible things God has planned for her and about how much she is going to learn and the wonderful friends she will find, along with the positive and amazing example she can be everyday she walks into the classroom.
My own tears have been shed... I have fought my fears... and I have spent hours in prayer for this day. Hannah's first day in Kindergarten (FULL day might I add again!). As a result... this morning I have not shed a single tear. As John sat in the car with the twins and I accompanied Hannah to make sure she found yellow cement block #3, I watched as the little girl you see pictured above, looked 10 feet tall when she walked away from me and into her first day of Kindergarten. She spoke nothing but confidence and excitement in her sundress, pink shoes, polka dot backpack, and hello kitty lunch bag.
Words have power.... incredible power. And over the last year as I have fought with the negatives... I have spoken and taught the positives to Hannah. I refused to let my fears be passed on to her. Now that today is finally here... not only does Hannah finally believe those words, but I do too.
Have a WONDERFUL first day of Kindergarten Hannah Grace! Kindergarten Rocks!
