For Kindergarten Mommies Only

I just received this beautiful story from a mommy who lovingly recounted her experience as she ushered her son to his first day of kindergarten in Allen yesterday. She is allowing me to share it on our blog. I love our readers. You inspire me everyday. Thank you, Michelle Marks! --shelley

I awoke at 6:30 this morning and made coffee. My son ... my baby ... my little man was still sleeping. As was my husband. I was thinking what an ungodly hour to wake up.

I went into my son's room and pulled the blanket off of his angelic head. He opened his eyes and I said, "Good morning. It's time to wake up and get ready for your first Big Day!" He said, "I'm still tired. I wanna wake up at 8." After I kissed him all over his face, he finally woke up. He climbed onto my lap and I hugged him. He still likes snuggles. Still.

He sat on the couch next to Daddy and watched some cartoons. A little while later, he sat down for breakfast. He didn't want eggs and waffles. He wanted cereal and toast. I prepared his breakfast and he ate it all up.

He got dressed in his new shirt. He didn't want the new shorts on so we chose another pair. Navy dress shorts with a light blue striped shirt. I looked at him and my breath was taken away. He looked so handsome and so GROWN UP. Wow.

I made his lunch — a turkey and bologna sandwich to go along with chips, cookies, Froot By The Foot and a banana, two bottles of water and Sunkist orange "juice."

I helped him put his new Spiderman shoes on. Then we were off. As we were walking, I felt a knot in my stomach. 'Is this really happening? Is it really time to go already?'

We arrived at the school to confusion. We went to his classroom but were told to go to the gym. The gym was full of children of many ages. I asked where my son should sit and we went to the kindergarten section. There he sat, looking so small. He looked nervous.

His class was the last line to leave the gym. He wanted to walk with us but we told him to stay with his class. He was very hesitant but he marched on. We arrived at his classroom and he sat down at a table. He just looked around. He was looking for his friend who lives next door. She was late. The teacher then told the kids to put their backpacks and other items into a cubby. My son picked out a cubby and put his lunch box in it. He then stood in line to get a name tag that hangs from the neck on a string. He sat down again and continued to look around the room at all the other children.

His friend arrived and he called her name but she sat at another table. With a couple kisses and lots of hugs, his dad and I left. My eyes were filled with tears. Another parent asked me if I was crying too and I replied that I was. She asked me which one was mine, so I pointed my son out to her and she pointed her daughter out to me. I hugged her. It was a little comfort knowing I wasn't alone in feeling sad.

I bawled all the was home. Sobbing and crying. I am still crying. I miss him already. So now I am writing this because I wanted to write while it was still fresh. The silence in my home is deafening. My heart is aching for my little boy. I miss him. But at 9:45 a.m., I will look out through my back window and see him playing at recess. He is so close yet he feels like he is so far away from me.

Someday, he will read this after I print it out and put it in his special school box we bought. My son, I love you so much! I hope you flourish and learn and grow to be a wonderful person. Learn a lot and be good!!!