A New Time

They play downstairs in our playroom as I write this.  They are friends and play sweetly.  Then there is silence as they drift to different corners to find a new toy or a lost toy.  Then the chatter begins again.  These are the sounds I love to hear, especially this morning.

We are on the edge of a new chapter in our lives together.  Kindergarten starts this Wednesday and then Jack begins preschool the following Tuesday.  I had a terribly off weekend and was fighting back tears that are really hard for me to explain.  I guess I am just having a hard time with transition.  I am so very happy that we are at this new beginning, but I don't want to say goodbye to our mornings and our lunches, and non-napping afternoons that crawl toward dinner times and then our crash into bedtime stories and jammies.  These times happen every day and have filled our lives for five years.  But, they won't be babies forever.

We met with Greta's Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Dillon.  She came to our home for a visit last Friday and we made brownies and coffee and invited her in to sit and chat.  Greta shook her hand and was shy.  Mrs. Dillon took her up into a hug.  Jack didn't want to be forgotten and told her the story of when he fell off of the monkey bars and hurt his self weel bad buh goh uh an dih ih agaih an wen all dah way! Tah DAH!

We learned all about what Greta's days will be like.  We learned also, that she is in a class of 10 kids, and is one of two girls in the class!  This could be really good, or really bad. I hope the little girl is fond of our Greta.  I know Greta can't wait to be her friend.  Her name is Ivy.  We also learned that a NASA retiree is coming to eat astronaut food with the kids and make space suits with breathing tubes and everything.  We learned that Greta is going to get to make new recipes that we can try for dinner.  And, Mrs. Dillon said a prayer for Greta and her new journey.  It feels good to hear a prayer for your child other than your own.

Even though I have tears, I know in my heart that I am sending her to a loving place, and Jack, too.  And now I get to begin a new kind of parenting.  I get to tidy rooms while they are gone and make after school treats for when they come back.   I remember my mom doing these things for me.  I remember coming home from school and talking about my day, the good and the bad, with a mom that, little did I know, was waiting for just that moment to come.  Waiting for a new after school time with her school kids...I can be this mom...I have been in training for 5 years.