school

School, what a big step.  It's so hard to think of her in a classroom feeling lost, feeling scared and not to be able to be there to ease her transition. 
It's a huge leap of faith to trust a complete stranger to comfort your child and while I myself have been that exact comforter many many times, I've never been on the other side of this scenario, the parent who has had to let go.  Someone should have warned me it was so hard!
Found this reflection and it fits my thoughts exactly.

School Success!

First day of school!  Grace woke up early and the first thing out of her mouth was "Mommy where are we going today?"  Now this is not an unusual question from Grace.  She asks it daily, however the little smirk on her face told me she knew exactly where we were going today!  And so it started, she hit the ground running and talked and talked and talked and never stopped talking until she was walking up the steps of the bus! 

She had some rough moments but overall I think she did great! 

 

Grace opened her last gift this morning, new indoor shoes, Frozen of course and light up!  Still a hit!

Official traditional first day of school photo at the front door.

Walking to the bus stop with Grandma

There was one moment of panic on the next step but my brave girl got on anyways



Grandma and I met the bus at school.  Here's Grace walking with her friends that she already knows.  So nice of the principal to escort them down the sidewalk.

 

This is where I made my exit.  I knew things might not go well if I stuck around so Grandma stayed with her until the teachers brought them inside the school.  She wasn't exactly happy about it but she survived! 

 
 
 
 

Getting Ready for School!

Grace is starting junior kindergarten tomorrow and we've been a busy pair getting ready for the big day!

Grace is excited "on paper" I like to say.  She tries really hard to be excited and I promote it as much as I can but I know she is anxious so I've been doing what I can to help her, visiting the school yard, meeting the teacher, buying new backpacks and water bottles and lunch containers.  Tonight I baked Kissing Hand cookies, from the book The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.  We've been reading it each day and Grace loves the story of Chester and how he misses his mommy when he goes to school.

Last week we made a Waiting Chain.  Each morning Grace tears off one of the links to represent one less sleep till school starts.  The last link is waiting patiently on the table beside me now.

To add to the fun, I wrapped 7 gifts, one for each morning of this last week before school.  Each day Grace runs downstairs, finds the next number and opens it to see what new item she has for school.  I wrapped up her lunch bag, water bottle, new outfit, running shoes, a couple of school stories.  It was a fun way to wrap up summer vacation!

And now there's nothing left to do but get a good night's sleep and hope for the best tomorrow.  She's come a long way, my girl, these past three years, and I've got my fingers crossed and a prayer in my head that she will do as well tomorrow as I know she can.  I'll let you all know!

You had to know there would be a Barney video in the mix somewhere!

And then there was one.....

Her Kissing Hand cookie, waiting for her at the breakfast table for tomorrow!

Adoption Day

Three years ago today what seemed like an endless wait ended and this little tornado took over my life and my heart!!  Life has never been the same since!