my boy goes to kindergarten

I honestly get sick to my stomach and tears well up at the very thought of sending them to school for at least two weeks beforehand.  I literally begin acting like a crazy person and then will all of a sudden explode in tears.  It has happened to me every single year since Avery started school.  This time my poor sister-in-law was the recipient of my major outburst.  She so gracefully listened to me as I rambled on and on about the reasons behind my craziness.  Change in general is hard for me but especially when it involves my babies growing up.  I just don't handle it well at all.  I want them little and at home with me.  I am definitely not a Momma that looks forward to school starting.  Summers are my favorite and each year I run through the same thoughts in my head as I prepare to send my loves to school.  I really would love to keep them with me for at least a few more years.  Homeschooling seems like the obvious answer and I consider it each year.  However, after so much thought and prayer on the subject, Jason and I are sure they are where God wants them.  We feel that God wants our babies in public school.  I have felt guilty at times for not homeschooling them and wonder if we are doing the right thing. And as soon as I feel that guilt or wonder, God shows me some way that He's got my babies totally covered and that we need some Jesus loving kids in our public schools.

We took Tyson for his Kindergarten screening this summer and he seemed to like the teacher that tested him.  As we walked away he told me that he wanted her for his teacher.  When asked why, he responded that she was nice, he liked the way she looked and her pink nails (so obvious he has sisters).  We weren't even sure if she taught at the school he would be attending so we moved on with our topic and he didn't say much else about her.  Fast forward one week to the day that class lists would be posted.  I woke up thinking about Mrs. Pennix and just could not get her off my mind.  I searched for her on Facebook like any normal mother would of course.  I prayed for her and had a serious feeling that she would be his teacher.  We went to see the class lists that afternoon and the first paper I looked at had Tyson's name on it and sure enough Mrs. Pennix was the one.  It may seem silly to some but that was one of the little ways that God let me know He is in control and He hears our prayers for these babies.  We pray like crazy about school and specifically for their teachers and friends and God's faithfulness specifically in this part of our lives is amazing.  I like to picture Jesus writing Tyson & Avery's names on those lists under a teacher's name that He ultimately chose for them.

I had cried so much the few weeks before that I didn't shed a tear the day of.  My eyes got watery a few times and I could feel it in the pit of my stomach but it was as if I had no tears left.  I felt strangely peaceful that day and excited for my baby to have a new experience.  I had two things going for me...Tyson could not have been more excited and Jason took the day off.  

Taking first day of school pictures with boys is so different.  Love him.

He picked out his backpack by himself.  He was sold the second he laid eyes on it.  It cracks me up.

He let Momma pick his shirt on the first day.  He could not have looked any cuter.

Seriously, the boy was so excited and couldn't wait to be big like Avery and go to school.

He was literally running into school.  We had to call for him to wait for us.  I love his enthusiasm.

His teacher is so sweet and she really won me over with those polka-dot pants.

Seriously, our boy is such a stud.

As I looked through the pictures from the day, there were several that just needed to be black and white.  They weren't posed pictures but simple moments captured forever and I especially love this one.  Violet was all over the place sitting in the chairs and trying to read books.  She acted like she owned the place and had been there a hundred times before.

The Lord helped me that day to embrace it as an exciting change, rather than a dreadful one.  I still wish he wasn't 6 yet and this wasn't really happening and he was a tiny little guy at home with me but I am slowly learning to find the joy in change.  

It also helps that he is only gone for 3 hours a day.  I just love being this boy's mommy.