Kindergarten?!?

Here she is!  All ready to walk to Kindergarten on her first day of school!  How in the world did this happen?!?

We take a picture by the hydrangea each year...but this year we don't know why it isn't blooming.  Any botanists want to explain this strange phenomena?  Good thing that dress has enough bloom in it!

Gracie was very excited.  She did tell me that she was "going to be shy for awhile."  And indeed she was.  Checking everything out with her eyes, staying close to me.  I finally told her that I had to leave with the other parents so she could learn, and she shyly found some girls to play with--after Mommy and Joshy hugs, of course.  And even though I took Kleenex in my pocket in case "Mommy had happy tears" I blinked them away and made it through like a big kid.  :)

And when we picked her up 2 1/2 hours later she told us all about reading, "The Kissing Hand," a book about a raccoon who was a little nervous to go to school.  And recess time, of course.  :)  This is her teacher, Mrs. Badeaux in the picture above.  She is one sassy silver-haired teacher!  Gracie will have a great year with her.

Joshy had to "take a bweak" on the walk home on this rock.  When I asked him the night before what in the world we were going to do without Gracie in the morning he replied with shrugged shoulders:  "I don't know...maybe...celebrate?"  What a stinker!  :)  He did come up to me with Gracie's doll telling me that she was crying for Gracie, her mommy.  I think deep down he was missing her, too.  :)

And that afternoon I had to go into school for my Meet & Greet.  Whom should walk through the door but Brooklyn, who was there to meet her kindergarten teacher.  What a sweet girl!  I had to take a picture to show the kids.

We met Bridgett, our new babysitter, today!  The kids spent the afternoon with her while I went in to work.  I was relieved to hear that the kids didn't want to come home with dad when he picked them up at the end of the afternoon.

Ah, it feels good to be on this side of so many transitions.  We are so blessed.  All the time.