I have a KINDERGARTNER!!!!!

Neither of us cried!!!

On August 23, 2010 I sent my 5 year old out into the big, big world of Kindergarten without me. If he was excited or nervous, he certainly didn't show it. He acted like it was just another day like any other day. I can honestly say, I was feeling happy and thrilled for him to be taking this big step and experiencing the world of school...especially because he never went to preschool.

The weeks before the first day were really exciting for me and probably just as ordinary as any other day for Mikie. We, of course, went school supply shopping! Ever since I was a kid I have LOVED back to school time. During my five years of teaching, I bought baskets full of pencils and erasers, notebooks and folders. But for the last five years, whenever I walked past the bins of school supplies at the front of Target, I could almost smell the Elmer's glue and I swear I heard the new crayola crayons begging me to take them home. But alas, I had no reason to purchase such things...until this year! I must have looked like a little school girl again skipping down the aisle to pick out the brightest package of 10 count washable markers while Mikie held his list in his hands and marked off whatever we put in the cart. It was a joyous moment that I've been waiting for, for 5 years!

Then of course, there was the whole ordeal of shopping for his backpack. We must have hit every store I thought would have them and couldn't find one that we both agreed upon and loved. I wanted a "kindergarten" backpack with some sort of cartoon characters but was not going to settle for superheroes, which is all we could seem to find. Mikie found a multi-shaded blue backpack from Land's End at Sears but to me it was too grown up for him. However, that is the one we initially came home with, until I happened upon a dinosaur one at Joesph Beth Booksellers. It wasn't blue, which was an attribute Mikie really wanted, but it was designed with about 10 different species of herbivore dinosaurs on the front. Mikie took one look at it and immediately rejected it because of the lone carnivorous T-rex in the middle. Now, I knew this was the backpack I wanted slung over the shoulders of my first born son as I sent him off to his first day of school; so, my brain started working on my convincing argument. In the past, my persuasive arguments have never swayed the strong minded jury of one, but today I felt confident. I quickly stated the obvious probability that the T-rex was most assuredly going to lose the battle and be chased away by the numerous herbivores surrounding him. The odds were clearly not in the T-rex's favor but after glancing at the expression on Mikie's face I was sure the odds were now on my side! And the verdict? Well....just look at that cute green and orange dinosaur backpack with a matching lunch box!!!!

After posing for the obligatory pictures on the front step, it was time to drive him to school. All was going well and my eyes were still dry as we pulled onto the street leading to the elementary. It was then that I heard "My nose is bleeding." Quickly, I pulled over and began helping him get it under control, thankful that I had chosen the navy polo and not the white uniform shirt for this special day. It was then that I realized...I really have never taught him how to take care of this on his own...I've always been the one making it stop. So after my brief first aid lesson and a note scribbled to his teacher warning of future gushes, I drove him to the drop off sidewalk. It was then that I kissed him goodbye from the front seat and watched as he threw his backpack over his head and proceeded to give himself the biggest Dennis The Menace cowlick ever. As I watched him walk away through the "tunnel," (hallway) I was overcome with concern for him instead of sadness for me. I was not only worried that his nose would start to bleed again, but now I feared that all the 5th graders would point and laugh at the new little kindergarten with his hair sticking straight up. If it hadn't been for Zachary in the backseat immediately asking with non stop chatter "Mommy where are we going now? What are we going to do? I want to go mini-golfing. I want to go to a park." I probably would have started to cry.

Since God had led us to the 1/2 day kindergarten program, four and half hours later it was time to pick him up and hear all about his first day. He was at the green table. He shared a cubbie with a little girl and put his lunchbox on the bottom shelf. He was assigned the number 8 (ironic since that was his favorite number when he was just 18 months old and lasted for a couple of years before it finally changed). He had 18 other kids in his class and one was named Zachary just like his brother. He played by himself at recess. He tried to tuck in his shirt but his teacher had to help him. He never cried, got frustrated, or threw a fit. He likes kindergarten! (whew....I can now exhale and relax knowing that his first day was a success)

The following pictures were taken on the Friday before the first day of school, during his orientation.

The tunnel

His teacher was my co-teacher for the past two years at VBS so I was thrilled that she would be teaching Mikie this year.

A creation he built while the parents were being "orientated."

And to this day (first quarter of school is over) he continues to excel academically, socially, and emotionally. Much to our amazement, he exhibits self-control and self discipline both in and out of the classroom while he is at school. I am so proud of our son and all his accomplishments and achievements. May the Lord continue to bless him all the days of his life.

I love you, Mikie!