Blog Post Flashback... Kindergarten

As I was looking back over my blog posts I found this draft. I'm not sure why I never posted it, but I don't want to forget all of these emotions! 

My baby girl will start KINDERGARTEN in just SIX WEEKS!! It seems like yesterday I was waddling around school with a baby girl in my belly and now that baby girl will be skipping through those same hallways as she starts the journey of her own education. I have so many mixed emotions. First and foremost is excitement! How many elementary teachers aren't excited about their little one finally making the move to the building they are in all day? The guilt of leaving her all day every day is over (although I'm steal dealing with the guilt of leaving Luke), I get to see her smiling face as she walks to lunch with her new horse lunchbox, and I get a very special after school helper. We have already had so much fun hitting the summer sales and picking out the cutest back-to-school "fashions", as Aly would say. We have our supply list on the fridge and are just waiting for the moment when Daddy can stay home with Luke so we can really take our time to pick out just the right supplies. It's going to be great. I know that whoever her teacher is, she will love her and she will love school.

Then the momma in me kicks in. I hope she's nice to everyone. I hope they are nice to her. I hope she uses her manners and follows the rules and doesn't get hurt on the big kid playground equipment. I hope she makes friends easily and isn't too shy. I hope she doesn't drive her teacher crazy reminding her that her mom is down the hall. I hope she doesn't hear bad words or isn't told something I'm not ready to explain yet. I hope she is prepared. I hope she is happy.

Oh, how I have changed my thinking. I'm hoping this experience will make me more understanding to the parents of my own students and will ultimately make me a better teacher. It's not easy letting go of your babies, no matter how old they are. I know this is the first step in letting her go and letting her be her own person. I love the little gal she's turned out to be. She loves Jesus, her family, her friends, animals, music, art, playing outside, pretending, snuggling, singing and dancing. She's not perfect by any means, but she's just the way God intended her to be and I am so grateful  for the first five and a half years of her life and to see how it continues to unfold from here. Good luck, my little Hunt Husky!

To follow up, Aly had an amazing first year! We struggled with getting up and getting out of the house, but it was nothing a little reward system couldn't fix! She loved her teacher and made so many new friends. I was truly impressed with how much she learned and loved getting to see her walk our halls with her bubble in her mouth! Now, on to 1st grade!!