A first of many firsts

Here he is--my man of the day! Today was your first official day of school ever! Because of when your birthday is, I am still undecided about when you will start kindergarten. I am waiting to make that decision until later when I have a better idea of where you are skill wise. But you are either 2 or 3 years away. Last winter I began to think a little bit more about how to find more social opportunities for you, and lo and behold, I found this blogger through another friend. When I discovered that she had a preschool one day a week for younger ones that was more about social skills than academics, I felt like this could be a great fit, and it felt meant to be. I signed you up and the day has arrived.

We met your teacher in May, and you had a great time exploring her house a bit and discovering all of the fun things for little people as well as her chickens wandering in the backyard. But this morning you were more hesitant about going. Getting the above picture of you was hard because you didn't want to cooperate. I never could get you to pose with your backpack on. Oh well, at least I could capture an image of your joy and perhaps apprehension all in one.

I dropped you off quickly as your teacher recommended. I knew you would be fine once everything got rolling and your found your groove. And you were fine. When I picked you up, you were waiting with your activity paper in hand, and the birthday hat on your head. (Your birthday falls between now and when the next class is next week.) You gave me a big smile when you saw me and were so excited to tell me about the letter F that was on your page and that "F is for friends." You also showed me where your teacher had written your name and that your name was Asher.

I wasn't much emotional about dropping you off, but when I picked you up, I had a bit of a lump in my throat as it hit me that you have begun a journey of learning that will little by little involve a lot more people than me and your dad. For now you will spend a couple of hours each week with someone else, and I begin to let go a little bit. It makes me think of all my years as a teacher a little bit differently. People trusted me with their children in hopes that I might make a positive difference. I will do the same for you. I like Miss Shari and know this will be a great experience for you, but it makes me a little sad to think of you growing up and having to let go. I'm glad it is a process; otherwise, my mom heart couldn't take it.

And just so you can see the birthday hat. I'm trying to keep it in one piece for Saturday. Asher has torn it a bit already, and if Julia gets her hands on it, it surely won't survive. I absolutely love and adore this handsome boy. Sometimes I wish you would never go, but I know it's better for you to learn and grow into your potential. Here's to many more wonderful first days of school. I hope you will always find a sense of joy and fulfillment in learning and attending school. I hope I can help you in developing this attitude and in making the most of your education.