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Nothing about this day went as anticipated. First of all, Sophie fell asleep before Joe prayed for her and we tucked her in. She didn’t even have her little pink blanket. This was Kindergarten Eve! Gavin and Cammie were laying with her and even Gavin fell asleep before we came in. But we prayed anyway.

It rained this morning. It could’ve been worse. It wasn’t a downpour. But the thunder scared my friend’s daughter, Allie, terribly. Sophie seemed a little anxious but she was excited.

 

 

Eventually I tucked her lunchbox away in her booksack so she wouldn’t leave it on the bus.

 

THE BUS IS COMING!!!!

Going …

GOING …

I JUST CAN’T TAKE IT!!!

GONE!!!! The bus driver slowed so that I could snap a pic but I was juggling my umbrella that I should’ve abandoned and just climbed on board. See that little tiny face next to the K in PINK? No? Well, that’s her. Her friend, Allie, is in the seat behind her.

I thought I’d fall apart when the bus drove off. I managed to keep it together but inside the emotion is still brewing. Two fussy boys fighting sleep worked well to keep my mind occupied. Of all days the hormones are raging. I’d say I’m keeping it together fairly well considering I haven’t called the school.

Joe on the other hand . . . well, did you raise your hand? He called. They assured him that all of the children arrived safely to school and that the Kindergartners had been on a tour of the school. And do you know what he heard before he hung up the phone?

Laughter!!!

He made me laugh, too. And I needed it.

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The day that we’ve imagined for nearly five years has arrived. It’s the third time I will send a child off to Kindergarten. You’d think I’d be prepared but it’s been thirteen years. Thirteen.

I sat in the hallway outside the classroom with Joe last week while Sophie was screened by her teacher. All the way to school that morning she repeated her street number lest she forget it. Her cousin talked over her with words of encouragement, “you’re gonna do just fine. And if your teacher’s nice, I want you to inter-duce her to me.”

Sophie did do just fine. Joe and I, not so much. I filled out paperwork I’d already done once at registration. Why did they need this again anyway? They’re determined to have us fill it all out in triplicate. Only this time I kept filling in Courtney’s information. Nice. Nothing like turning in a form with a third of it scratched out.

Joe mumbled on and on about how they ask for too much information. Then, when Sophie finished testing he insisted her teacher go over every single detail of what happens once she gets off the bus at school in the morning and back on in the afternoon. Bless his protective heart.

We’re thrilled that Sophie has the teacher we were hoping for. She’s a sweetheart but very firm. We were informed at the parents’ meeting that she has to strictly enforce the no talking/no interrupting policy especially at the start of the school year. Here’s to hoping!

It would appear Sophie is more prepared than us. She did mention over the summer that she wished she were a normal kid. When I questioned what she meant she said, “I just want to go to college when I’m four.” Perfectly normal.

One thing is certain—things have changed for me over the past thirteen years since Kindergarten 2.0. Things have also changed for Kindergarten. School lunches have plummeted. What was so wrong with drinking chocolate milk from a carton? And haven’t we taken recycling too far when the chili of today becomes the spaghetti of tomorrow? And is it just me or do they give us paperwork equivalent to mortgage documents at a house closing? I had Sophie sign the Drug Policy and teacher’s classroom procedures just to ensure they’re not sent back. No, I’m not kidding.

While I’m hoping and praying I’ve prepared Sophie well over the past five years, I’m also hoping and praying I’m prepared for this season of life in our household. Sophie starts Kindergarten, Courtney starts LSU and I’ll be here Nanny-sitting. We’re excited to have Cammie and Gavin move back home with us. The family dynamic has changed again indeed. Perhaps a family meeting would help so that we could inform Sophie that she’s not the boss of her nephew and she probably should back off the parental advice to her big sister. Yea, maybe that will ensure things will go smoothly.

Let’s hope Sophie does well teaching all she knows, I mean learning all she needs to know in Kindergarten. Let’s also hope Joe makes it through the day without calling the school to check on Sophie. No, I’m not kidding. Raise your hand if you think he’ll make it.

Please pray for my little Kindergartner and stay tuned for her return with what is sure to be blog worthy material. Raise your hand if you think she’ll get in trouble for talking.