Tuesday, September 14, 2010

School days

Isabelle started school last week.  I think we both needed it to happen.  We had been talking about and anticipating it for far too long.  And then after everyone else started school we had to wait 2 more days for it to happen.  Finally last Thursday she put on the outfit we spent 30 minutes picking out the night before, packed a snack and bottle of water in the backpack with the school supplies, posed for pictures:




Got tired of posing for pictures,
Hopped in the car and drove over to the school where we found the class lining up at the front door.  Got in line with the class and put on the bus sign she is supposed to wear:




Posed with her class for their very first class picture:


Then lined back up with her class, waved goodbye and followed the teacher into a whole new life.  She was nothing but excited to see what would happen next, to have new experiences and go to school like the big kids she knows. 

I stifled a pathetic sob as I quickly turned to walk back to my car knowing that this was the beginning of a whole new stage of life.  She begins independence from me.  Right now as I type she is doing things I have nothing to do with, I am not there to manage, control, protect, direct.  Part of me is afraid, unsure if she is ready, afraid of who she will meet, how she will be treated and what she will learn.  Part of me is happy, proud of her growth, her independence and excited by the opportunities to make new friends and learn new things.

There are many school choices these days and each comes with their own fears and joys.  But I am certain that for this year Isabelle is exactly where she is supposed to be and so whenever those fears come up I remind myself that God is with her, loves her more than I do and will keep her safe when I cannot.

Just a few hours after I left her at school the bus pulled up:


The doors opened:

We watched it drive away:

And I had a Kindergartner:

1 comment:

  1. a wonderful milestone. she looks adorable. not sure grace is ever going to fully embrace the umbilical cord being cut last month, but at least she is tolerating the experience, and i know the experience is awesome. learning a new normal is not easy for some kids. glad isabelle is so flexible in this area!

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