Preschool

I cannot pass by this most monumental of moments to write down my thoughts about the first day of school, despite my complete lack of attention to my blog this year.

Ezekiel started preschool. He was so excited, and continues to be, after the first day. We've been counting the days for a long time, waiting for it to begin. You might even say, in a way, we've been counting the days since he was two years old. I think that is when he first started asking me when he could go to school.

So today arrived. It was a warm day, so shorts were in order. My mom was in town, in part for the big day. Nathanael was planning on coming home for the 12:30 game time. With t-minus 1 hour to go, I prepared a satisfying lunch for Ezekiel of turkey, cheese and blackberries. I filled his water bottle and put it in his new Avengers backpack and wrote his name and phone number in it. He finished his lunch and donned his new Seahawks colored vest and put on his shoes and tennis shoes that make him run super fast. Nathanael arrived home, and  it was picture time.

And then we were off on the 4 minute drive to the farmhouse, where there were ample opportunities for photos.

We walked inside where I knelt down to say good bye. I think he was a little nervous, although he did not say he was when I asked him about it later. It was at this moment I got a little choked up. He was still so excited. And then I walked out the door. On the walk out to the car, a number of things rolled through my mind. I thought about the first time I saw him, and the first bath I gave him, and the moment I first felt overwhelmed by being a mother.  In my mind it was a slide show of memories from the last 4.5 years that he has been a part of my life, set to the Dixie Chicks "Lullaby" (there is a good reason for that). I did not exactly feel sad. The moment felt...poignant. If I'm being honest, I'm looking forward in some ways to seeing if him being at school for 9 hours a week will enhance our relationship. As I sat in the van staring at the trees in front of me, a feeling of extreme gratitude washed over me. I was so grateful that I had the opportunity and privilege to spend nearly every day of his first 4.5 years with him. I prayed in that moment with a heart full of gratitude. This is the beginning of seeing less of him on an almost daily basis. Definately a new chapter has begun, and we are all looking forward to it. It's only the first day, and I'm already reminiscing about yesterday as if it were 20 years ago. Maybe I should go take one of my placenta pills....


Here are some of the first things he said after I picked him up.

*It was funner than anything!

*I did climb a tree a little bit.

*Why is school such a long time?

*Mommy, when I was at school somebody did hurt me.
(This turned out to be a stray ball that hit him in the chest)


Peace, love, and art projects,
Misty