Our First Kindergartner

Who would've thunk this day would have come so quickly! Certainly not me. I can remember when Owen was born and the struggles that Adam and I went through just to have him. Now, in seems to be a blink of the eye, he is off to Kindergarten at Spectrum.

Thankfully, he's only going to 1/2 day kindergarten. I've caught lots and lots of flack for sending him to 1/2 day, as opposed to full day. There are lots of reasons I do not and will not send my kids to full day kindergarten, as long as I have the choice and can send them to 1/2 day, I will. It has absolutely nothing to do with his abilities. He is completely capable of doing the work of a full day kindergartner, despite what some have said to me. He can handle it and then some. I figure he has the rest of his educational career to go full day, one more year of being home with me half day isn't going to hinder that. Just like going full day isn't going to give him some overwhelming advantage later on.
(There's Owen walking down the hall with Caroline trailing behind him. My brother is in the dark blue shirt on the left, and the hand he is holding belongs to Agnes.)

Because of my own insecurities that I'm sure I project onto Owen, I am incredibly grateful that I have sent him to the same school as his cousin, Agnes. Yes, they went to preschool together last year, too. They had such a great time and this school was the only one that offered 1/2 day kindergarten that was anywhere remotely close to our house; and, it's in the school district that I want our children to attend. It is a win-win situation.

Adam shocked me by saying he not only wanted to go to back-to-school night to meet Owen's teacher (who I swear can't be older than 23) and "check out" the classroom but he wanted to take Owen to school on the first day. I thought maybe back-to-school night, but did not even fathom the whole first day of school. I was pleasantly surprised and, I think Owen was too. In fact, Owen was so excited he didn't want to ride in my car, he wanted to ride in "the white car", a.k.a. Adam's car and have Daddy take him. Owen seemed disappointed to learn that I would be there to take him into his class too.

(Agnes is the little girl just over Owen's shoulder in the pink and purple striped dress with her dad, my brother)

We all walked Owen into his class and got him situated at his desk, which he remembered where it was from back-to-school night. He saw his teacher, Ms. Strayer, who is just as cute as a button. She helped each child unpack their backpack, get it put away where it belongs. I held it together pretty darn well until I was in the car and going to the gym. That's when it hit me that my baby boy is in Kindergarten. I cried, just a little, and sat peacefully as I could in the car with Caroline and Howie in there too, and reflected for a few minutes at where the time has gone. Did I teach him well enough to be kind to others? Will he make new friends? Will the other kids be nice to him? Will other kids want to play with him? I certainly hope I can answer yes to all of these questions. There's just so many unknowns with this whole school situation and the first born that doesn't sit well with me. I'm hoping that as the days, weeks and months of this school year go by, it will sit better with me.

I think this is going to be a great year for Owen and for me. It will help me to prepare for him to be gone all day next year and then have Caroline gone to kindergarten next year. I can't believe my children are growing so fast. After all, this may be our first kindergartner, but it's certainly not our last.

Week #29 - Sunday Gatherings

I'm going to be off by a week, I know. But, my brain is becoming too convoluted for just about anything these days. So, to cut my brain some slack, I'll skip the week of July 31st and pick up with August 7th.

Today was Fast Sunday. My siblings and I (along with our families of course) have a tradition that we've been doing for about the last 18 months. Much like other families, we gather together for Sunday dinner on this Sunday of the month. It's a time to break the fast, gather together as family, catch up with everyone and their busy lives and just be family. The kids go crazy and run throughout the house, outside, wherever they can get the room to roam and run.

We had to make it a point to gather together once a month because our lives were getting too hectic. The distance between the furthest two siblings is only 12 miles. Yet, somehow days, weeks, months would go by and we would not see or sometimes talk to one another. That's pretty humbling and sad.

Today's Sunday gathering was at my house. I love having all of my family over to my house. No, I don't necessarily have the room for everyone, but THAT is what makes it so great. Wall-to-wall family members, a space that isn't quite big enough to hold everyone; I wonder if that's what Heaven is like? I certainly hope so. How great would that be - beyond my wildest dreams.

Each month I am filled with and reminded just how much love I have for my family. The unconditional love that we each have for one another is refreshing. Not being judged for the things you've done wrong or decisions you've made. It so great to be able to refill my cup and then have it runneth over of love, admiration, and respect for my family.

Even though at this stage of my life it is hard to get anything out of Sacrament meeting and Sundays can be one of the worst days of the week, not matter what happens, I will always look forward to Sunday gatherings with my family.