We Did It!

We successfully navigated the first day of kindergarten!

Sure, it was only an hour and Mama was on-site the whole time, so it wasn't much of a test, but the symbolism was huge.

I have been considering meaningful posts for this day--reflective letters to the kids summarizing the last five years and offering gentle guidance for the next 12 of school a la "Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten," or even humorous blow-by-blows along the lines of "The Night Before Christmas," but I have nothing that humorous or inspiring.

Instead, I'll settle for an accounting of what actually happened.

I woke up before 5 am and kept forcing myself back to sleep, knowing that if I stayed awake, I'd only cry in my pillow. And it must have worked because Mama, who also woke up early but is sadly not as good at sleeping as I am, heard me snoring pretty much til 6:45 when the kids finally woke up.

And they arose like the sun, brilliant and strong and full of promise. They were through their morning checklist, dressed and ready to go before 7:15, which gave them enough time for breakfast, some playtime, and photographs outside. And still there was time to pass, but instead of being increasingly nervous (as were, I'd say, most of the adults!), they took it all in stride, glad for the momentous occasion to have arrived at last.

We piled into two cars--one for Mama and the kids, one for me and Gommie, who was my "back"-up today--and wound our way through crazy first-day-of-school traffic (CT is notorious for having awful traffic during the school year, as teachers must travel long distances to where they teach; even in our little town, the roads are jammed with all the people who aren't on a bus route). (And yes, I went, drugged, braced, even pain patched, which bought me about 20 minutes on my feet. It's all good). But we made it early and in two pieces, finding parking easily. The principal cheerfully greeted everyone outside, where people were posing in front of the school sign and a stuffed version of the school mascot. And Sis and Bud were still just beaming.

The smiles dampened somewhat, just a tad, as we waited a bit in the auditorium to be let into their classrooms. Perhaps because reality set in. Perhaps because there was nothing to do but stand there. Perhaps because they had been delayed from their ultimate goal of getting to class just a bit. A small hand slipped into mine. Sis sniffed Shirt.

Not five minutes later, we were invited to walk down the hall to their kindergarten classes. Here we go. Purposefully, the kids marched down the hall double-time, with us in tow, smiles returning as we neared our destinations. First, Bud's class: he walked right in, found a seat, sat down, and barely looked back for our ritual beep. The teacher was standing near me and so, seeing all the parents still standing there, I asked if this was when it was time to go. Yep. And so I went. No looking back. As purposeful as the kids. I headed to Sis's class, where she had gone with Mama. I had to squeeze through parents to give her a beep goodbye; she barely turned around. But then, she had declared the night before that she could walk herself to class! This teacher too said it was time to go and so Mama and I left.

That's it. No loitering. No tears. No protracted goodbyes. No returns for a last look. Our kids are in kindergarten.

Mama went to the parents' meeting; Gommie took me home via the coffee shop for my chai reward. About an hour later, the kids returned, full of folders and forms, but not of stories. Typical. All I can make out is that one class did the hokey pokey, the other played an alphabet game. Both are very excited to go back tomorrow, because tomorrow will be longer, requiring their backpacks and snacks and a bus ride home.

Color me tickled and relieved and happy. With a bright yellow sunshine-y crayon. We did it!