Yesterday morning I woke Caroline up.
That statement alone is something I never thought I’d say.
Anyway, I woke her up with a kiss on her cheek and whispered, “Wake up, baby. Today is Kindergarten!” She immediately sat straight up and yelled, “IT’S GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY!”
I just wish she’d been more excited.
I made her some eggs for breakfast even though I knew I was scrambling chicken embryos in vain because she’d never actually eat them. But it made me feel better to make the effort because it seemed like a first day of Kindergarten thing to do.
After pushing around some eggs on a plate, she ran to get dressed. We pulled her hair back and packed her little school bag. All the while, I managed to hold it together.
Right before we walked out the door, we conducted a marathon photo session.
I tried to shoot some video in the car on the way to school, but she shut me down. Apparently, she needed to “concentrate”.
As we walked into the school, hand in hand, I felt my eyes start to fill with tears. Just about that time, she dropped my hand and said, “I know where to go”.
So P and I just followed.
Honestly, I don’t know that I’ve ever been so proud of someone.
I also don’t know if I’ve ever felt as strongly that my heart was on the outside of my body.
When we arrived at the classroom, her teacher asked if she’d brought her lunch and Caroline informed her she’d be buying her lunch. The teacher said she could choose between chicken nuggets or a turkey sandwich.
Caroline said, “Meatloaf”.
Because isn’t that what every kid wants?
In the end, she chose the turkey sandwich.
P and I hugged and kissed her goodbye, then walked out of the school and back to the car. We prayed for her and that’s when the tears began to fall. I knew I was on the verge of a full on ugly cry.
But look!
I went to the baby store and bought a new baby!
Oh I kid.
Some of our dear friends lost their grandmother last week and they called me to ask if I could watch their twin girls on Monday morning while they went to the funeral. I had to think about it for a moment because if I kept the girls that would interfere with my original plan of sitting on my bed with a bowl of M&M’s, crying and watching old videos of Caroline.
I think I made the right choice.
Although I will say it is dangerous hormonal territory to drop your only child off at Kindergarten and then go spend four hours with some precious, squishy babies.
It was finally time to pick Caroline up and after navigating the seventh circle of carpool hell, I finally saw my girl. Her smile couldn’t have been bigger. As we drove away, I asked, “How was your day?”
“IT WAS GREAT! I’M GOING AGAIN TOMORROW!”
So I think she liked it.
Apparently she had a very full day playing with new friends whose names she can’t recall, eating a “THE MOST DELICIOUS” turkey sandwich (doubtful) in the cafeteria, and going to “P.E.R.” in the gym which is “BIGGER THAN OUR HOUSE!”
Right before bed last night, she was telling me more about her day. She said, “I saw my friend Catherine in the cafeteria today!”
I asked, “Did you say hi?”
“Yes, I said hi! And then I learned you’re not allowed to yell across the cafeteria.”
God bless her teacher.