And just like that, we have two elementary-aged kids under our roof! What is going on?!?! I honestly don't know what to think about it all, probably because I haven't had much time to think about it all! Life is abundantly full in so many ways these days and instead of wallowing in the sad that drifts in as I look at her sweet face and feel nostalgic for those early days of raising her, I try to just sink in deep to the joy that exists in it all. Because if the wisdom that comes from having two post-preschool kids has taught me anything, it's that there's always something else to look forward to around the corner. Be grateful for the sweet years that got us here, live in the present with joy and awe, and look ahead with anticipation and hope. This is the song I'm singing these days.
Mila, in her pjs, the morning of her last day of preschool.
I remember having such a hard time with the whole daycare thing when I was first pregnant with Cruz. Societal stigmas and the voices in my head (and from the many mommy bloggers I was reading at the time) told me home was the only place my babies would grow well in those early years. I felt guilty for sending them to daycare, I felt like they were missing out on something by not being home with me everyday, and I wondered if I would someday see negative affects to having "daycare kids."
And if hindsight is indeed 20/20, the vision I now have of my two "daycare kids" is more than I could have every prayed for, in large part thanks to a place called Blessed Beginnings. For eight years, they have given my kids a place to thrive in every sense of the word. They have been a village, let me tell you, of teachers who love our kids as if they were their own, of college students who have shared their energy and playfulness, of a church family who has supported the mission to raise up sweet souls with a foundation in Jesus, and other families and babes who have become lifelong friends through the years. Cruz and Mila have been in weddings of former teachers, we've gained babysitters who feel like family, they've attended Thursday worship since they could sit up in a stroller, and Mila will be very weirded out when she goes to kindergarten and they don't all lift their hands and pray before their meals. They are not perfect, no home or daycare is, but they love hard and have taught our kids to do the same. Mila will go to kindergarten with a rock solid foundation in Jesus, and a heart ready to learn lots and serve others. And maybe teach that school cafeteria to pray!
Another one of our favorite parts of Blessed Beginnings are the families. Like Cruz, Mila has literally grown up with many of these kids. And we have grown with their moms and dads. It makes milestones like these hard because we're saying goodbye to a chapter, and also to so many people who we've seen every day. We're hopeful Mila's little gang of besties will stay friends through the years (thank you Blessed Beginnings before and after school care!) and we have plans to redo these pictures before they really graduate someday!
Mila is more than ready for kindergarten, but she has LOVED her last year of preschool. The majority of her classmates are the oldest siblings in their families, and I talked to her teacher often about the things Mila and a few others were able to offer her class as the kids with older siblings. Kind of like the time when she taught her entire class the words to Drake's, In My Feelings. ;) I think Mila will be remembered for her wit and humor, her sweet and silly pet names she had for all her friends, her dance moves, determination, and dependability, and the ways she loved to "fill buckets" and make her peers feel loved, included, and seen. But most of all, I think it's her JOY that stands out the most. She can't contain it and it spills from her face, her bounce, and her reaction to the big and small things. It spills from the tips of her toes to the ends of her golden curls and she encourages others to feel it, too. She's got enough spirit to fill a tank tenfold, but she's a sweet friend who cares deeply about her people and shows them so. And I pray that kindergarten is a place that nurtures all that God built her to be as much as the place she's leaving did.
Blessed Beginnings always plans the sweetest graduation ceremonies for their preschool graduates. There was a table set up in the atrium with framed pictures of the kids in their caps and gowns, a banner with side by side pictures of their first and last days of preschool, and a little gift for each of them from their teacher. They marched in to Pomp and Circumstance, sang some songs, took turns walking up to receive their little diplomas, and danced out to Justin Timberlake. And they were celebrated big by so many moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, brothers and sisters, and teachers and staff. Even their favorite custodian, Bob, came to watch them and gifted them all a card with a silver dollar. Thanks to Mila's teacher, she has learned to value and appreciate ALL who put in work and do their part to make Mila's daycare the place it is. She talked often about how special Bob was for taking care of their spaces, or Roxanne for cooking the very best meatballs or chicken and rice, and it brings tears to my eyes to think about how special and important those little gestures are for people.
We were thankful my parents and grandparents could join us in celebrating Mila and her preschool. We took a lot of pictures, then went home for a celebratory dinner with strawberry cake and ice cream to follow. It was a sweet and special night.
Ashley H. and Ashley S., childhood friends and classmates with kids who are friends and classmates! Mila discovered this fact on a field trip when she sat next to "Ashley S." and has been fascinated by it ever since!
Now if only we could bring Kennedy with us to Aldrich next year.
I hope she has the same bounce when she accepts her high school diploma someday!
And the best preschool teacher we could have asked for! We got Miss E. fresh out of UNI and she came with so much energy, creativity, and heart for these kids. We will miss her but know she's got big things ahead of her.
What would we do without our Payton!
Mila loved Miss Brandi so much!
That's a wrap! Here we come kindergarten, but first - SUMMER!
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