Wait a Minute, Mr. Postman

Yesterday was a really great day. I wanted to write about it last night but I was really exhausted by the end of the night. It started with getting ready for my youngest son's official last day of kindergarten. I was rushing around (surprise, surprise) and had told the boys we would stop for donuts for breakfast for a last day of school celebration. I guess it was apropos that I would be late for the last day of school since I'm pretty much late for everything!

We eventually made it around 9:20 but the all school assembly was at 9:30. I left my oldest son to save seats and went outside to wait for my MIL who was in visiting from out of town and had gotten lost. I was standing outside of the school right next to where the mail truck was parked. Then the postman comes outside of the building and says to me,

"I know you're not waiting there for me. Maybe in my dreams tonight you will be."

I literally had NO response to that. I just stared at him. I had so many things swooshing through my mind and so much stuff to do that I was feeling so overwhelmed and having the postman hit on me just didn't fit into my schedule of events. Nor did I have a witty response bookmarked into my brain for such an occurrence. So I just kind of looked at him and shrugged.

Eventually my MIL found her way there, we watched the last day of school assembly, she left for her plane back to SC. We still had about an hr. to kill while they finished their last "day" so L1 and I walked to a little park, sat in the gazebo and finished reading, "The Swiss Family Robinson." The sun was shining. It was so calm and peaceful. I just never want to forget that moment of sitting there with my 8 year old, reading, in just a simple state of peace and happiness.

It was finally noon, we picked up L2 (after many tears and saying goodbyes to the teachers my sons have had for the past 4 yrs.) and headed to the amusement park. There we spent the day riding rides with my sons' bestest friends from school and homeschool co-op.

Memorable moments:
1. When I bought the tickets for the go-karts I assumed L1 was tall enough to drive himself. He wasn't. I had to maneuver myself into the kart while wearing a dress and then have him angrily lean over me the entire time b/c he wanted to drive. Then my sister and L2 bumped into us and knocked us sideways and we were out of the race.
2. I am probably the sole person in this county that doesn't know they have a big barrel of water that fills up and then dumps into the pool. Apparently kids will sit underneath in anticipation. While I was standing there looking and keeping a good "Mommy" eye on L2, there were no such kids. So I was alone and unsuspecting when gallons of water dropped on me and I screamed...much to the amusement of everyone around.

We were having so much fun and I originally wanted to write about the sense of community that I felt. I also had so many different conversations with so many different people in so many different walks of life that I almost felt rather dream-like. Did I really know everyone around me? I did and yet I didn't. (This probably would have sounded better last night.)

Then we rushed home b/c I had to get ready for a graduation. I found myself surrounded by more "people" that I knew as I watched one of my former students graduate. Her grandmother was her kindergarten teacher and I actually took over for her when she retired. She taught 33 yrs. At the end of the evening after taking pictures, she asked me how old my sons were. I answered her. And then she said, "Enjoy your children."

And I answered, "Thank you. I do."

I remember when she retired and she sat in her rocking chair and all of the children she had taught to read passed by her and gave her a hug or a flower. And there she sat in the blistering sun, watching her own granddaughter graduate from high school. I drove home with the windows down and the music playing and I thought about the day and how full it was...full of life, laughter, love... and then I thought of her words to me and I wanted to go back to the morning and say,

Wait a minute, Mr. Postman. Maybe if I'd been mailed 20 years ago that would be okay. But right now I dream of snips and snails and puppy dog tails...

Enjoy your children!

Emotional Girls Should All Wear Mood Rings

10 AM and the tears have started to flow. Today I drove my baby to his last full day of kindergarten. Monday is a formality as we have to show up to school for a few hours and then head off to the school picnic at the amusement park.

We made some school decisions this past year that probably seemed rather odd to some people but looking back they were the absolute BEST! I thank God for this year and I know that no matter what happens with our schooling decisions in the future...I will never forget the blessings this year has brought.

Our family was so blessed (I just can't use that word enough) as our children were able to attend Montessori school for the last 4 years and have phenomenal teachers who cared for and loved them. It will be so weird for me not to see Miss Liza & Miss Sharon every day. I started to cry as soon as I saw them this morning.

While the youngest finished his last year at P-M, we made a last minute decision last August to homeschool our 8 year old. I remember saying one time before I had children that I would NEVER homeschool. Never say never. That adage has appeared to be truthful more than once. I will never regret the decision! What a year! Today is his official last day and he just wrote his final journal entry. I just have to share it (as the tears flow).

Today is your last day of 2nd grade. How do you feel? Write about your year.

I feel great. This is the best year so far. The work was easy though it was fun and exiting. I liked the field trips. I will keep this year as a memory. Mom, you have encouraged me so much. I know we had some fights, but we got through this year. I went one more step in my adventure in life.

I'm not even going to make him go back and correctly spell "exciting".

Tonight is another high school graduation where another of my former students is graduating. I have a feeling this crying thing is going to last all day!

God is so good to me. Although I am so unworthy, He truly has never left me nor forsaken me.