Firsts and Lasts

I looked back at the blog and realized I never put in Andie's first day of Kindergarten.  Blogging mom fail!!  I definitely took pictures but wasn't really doing much other than surviving those days, since that was one month into four months of living apart from Craig during the week and it just being me + 3 kids during the week.  Those months were a blur.  I think back to that time and I remember doing things, I remember it being hard during the week without Craig around but I can't really remember it.  Kind of like giving birth I guess.  You remember it was painful but you can't really remember how the pain felt.

I digress..... 

So our LAST, First day of school in Iowa.....

Date:  August 15, 2012
Place:  Northwest Elementary School, Ankeny IA
Emotions:  Her:  Nerves (she was giggling all morning because she was so nervous I think)  Me: Extremely sad...yes I cried as I left the room.  I was sad for a lot of reasons that day.   I was sad because this was going to be the first time that Andie would be away from me all day.  We hadn't even done preschool outside the home.  I was sad because I was seeing part of my dreams become reality:   we bought this house that backed up to a school before we had children and I had always envisioned our children growing up at that school in our backyard. I say part of my dream because I knew that even though Andie would start school there, we were moving to a new state and she would be finishing else where.  At the time, I couldn't even imagine my kids going to a different school - this school is what I had pictured and I was still holding on pretty tightly to that dream at that time.  And, I was also sad because Craig was working at his new job, 3 hours away and had to miss his oldest child's first day of school.  Again, not what we originally had envisioned for her first day.

So here are a few of our girl getting ready for her first day 9 months ago.....

 Talking to Daddy on the phone..


Giggling nerves for this girl

Our walk to school through our backyard

She looks so young here!  No wonder I was a teary mess when I left the room that day!

And today is our FIRST, Last day of school in Minnesota

Date:  June 6, 2013

Emotions: Excitement....and that's about it.....we are both ready for 3 months of summer

I took a pinterest idea of taking a picture on the last day, holding a picture of her from the first.  Cute idea....needed to make the picture bigger though!  I think this is neat because it shows our old house and new.....we did get to capture our old house in the traditional school photos. 

The beginning of many more photos of these three kids on these steps for first day of school and last day of school pictures.  In my mind I can already see them looking older and changing.  But I still have a few years so you won't catch this mama wishing her time away!

 

Yes it is June and we still have jackets....it has been chilly.  I love this weather though.  Nice and cool for parks, hikes and bike rides.  In MN, Andie is off of school until September so we have plenty of time to hit the pool and lakes in the area as it warms up (it will warm up here right?)

I can't believe how much has changed from her first day of school to her last.  She has changed a lot this past year with starting school, being away from home all day, making new friends, moving, making more new friends.  I love the little girl she is growing up to be.  One of my favorite habits that started a few weeks ago (when it had a warmed up a bit and we could take our time walking to school because we weren't so cold) is simply praying out loud for my little girl on her way to school.  We walk and I pray for her to have a good day, be a good friend and choose good friends.  For her to shine her light in all she does. Thank you to my friend Misty who told me she did this with her boys on their way to school.  I loved the simplicity but authenticity of this.  Of recognizing that God ultimately is with our children and we can only humbly pray to Him to watch out for them and be with them throughout their day away from us and then trust that He has their best interests in mind.   It has been a good habit to get into and I pray we will remember to do it next year as well.