HER FIRST DAY

My Precious London,

Today is your first day of school.  Your first day of Kindergarten.  Your first day of being with someone else longer than you are with me.  My days of walking you to the door of your classroom are almost over.  They tell me I can only walk you in for the first 3 days.  What will I do?  Will you make it to the right hall?  The right classroom?  The thought of it makes me crumble inside knowing that this is part of you growing up and me having to let go a little bit more.  I always thought it would be nice to be able to drop you off but now that that day is near, it scares me to death.  You are only 5 but you are still growing up right before my eyes.  I can remember the first time you looked at me.  Your eyes so wide open and taking in the world from the beginning.  

Sometimes when I watch you * all five seasoned years of you * I think about just how lucky I am to be your mommy.  I would have never imagined I would be so lucky or that I would be able to understand just how much joy a tiny 4 pound  7 ounce bundle of happiness could bring to our family.  

You light up a room with your energy and I will miss that everyday you are at school.  Kinley will miss you, I know this for sure.  Will she understand?  Her eyes will sparkle at the sight of you coming home and mine will too.  I know there will be hard days and fussy days and days that I don't want to do but I will because that's just part of coming home from Kindergarten.  

My prayer for you is that your dreams will come alive and you will grasp the world even tighter than before and  enjoy it.  You are growing up my sweet London and I can't wait to see what the future holds for you.

I LOVE YOU!

Mommy

She started school this morning, 
And she seemed so very small.
As I walked there beside her
In the Kindergarten hall.
And as she took her place beside
the others in the class,
I realized how all too soon
Those first few years can pass.
Remembering, I saw her as
She first learned how to walk.
The words that we alone made out
When she began to talk.
This little girl so much absorbed
In learning how to write.
It seems as though she must have grown
To girlhood overnight.
My eyes were blurred by hastily
I brushed the tears away
Lest by some word or sign of mine
I mar her first big day
Oh how I longed to stay with her
And keep her by the hand
To lead her through the places
That she couldn't understand.
And something closely kin to fear
Was mingled with my pride.
I knew she would no longer be
A baby by my side.
But she must have her chance to live,
To work her problems out,
The privilege to grow and learn
What life is all about.
And I must share my little girl
With friends and work and play;
She's not a baby anymore --
She's in Kindergarten today.
~author unknown