The first days of school

Monday was my little girls first day of first grade. You would think it would not be as hard as the first day of kindergarten, and in some ways it is not, but I still get emotional.

This is my little girl, and she is just growing so quickly. I keep thinking when did this happen? It seems like just yesterday she was this little baby that could barely move and just wanted to be nuzzled in her mothers arms.  Luckily for me, E still loves to be cuddled, and would mostly choose that time with me then doing other things.  Which leads me to cherishing those moments, since I know in just a few years she won't want that anymore...in spite of her telling me she always will. 

Where does the time go? It just seems to slip away so quickly. When I reflect on this, I begin to think why did I have to get the dishes done when my little girl wanted to read? Was it that important? For those of you that do not know me, my family is very neat and tidy, my husband gets very stressed in a messy house. So it is important to us, but can't I just stop and read the book?  It makes me think of the things that are more important then chores or obligations. Sometimes I need to let these things go, to allow this time with my little ones that are just growing ever so quickly. 

Last night my husband took R to home depot and E and I stayed home. We rode bikes, read books and played on her tire swing. I am in awe of what she has already accomplished at just 6. She is reading books to me, riding on a two wheeler with no help and can swing all by herself. I remember just last summer she needed a lot of guidance in all these areas. Now she does them effortlessly without any need of help from me. I began to think of how when she was born and I would fantasize about the day she could walk, only then it would be easier....the day she could talk, that would be easier...the day I did not have to cut her food into a million pieces, that would be easier. Now with my son I to really cherish those moments and not rush him to grow up. Those moments are important, but the moments they are in now are just as important.

Every night my husband and I retuck our kids in, some times my son who is 2 stands up with his "blankie-blank" and just wants more cuddle time. I never refuse it. Some may say that I am building bad sleeping habits, but I say I this is my son who wants to spend some special time with his mom. These moments are far to few to ignore, and when my kids are all grown I know I will not regret spending the extra few minutes cuddling him, singing to him and praying over him.

As I watched my little girl enter the bus with a driver I do not know, into a school I know little about, with a teacher I briefly met. I marvel at this, its frightening and yet a sense of pride steps in. My little girl is smart, she is wise and she can handle doing things without me. At some point I have to just let go, trust God and trust she will do the right thing, follow the right path. She is an amazing little girl, I know she has a loving heart. I know she will make mistakes but she will also grow into an amazing women someday.