Our kindergarten girl

It came!  We blinked and our little girl is moments away from six and already attending school.

Chris and I spent a long time debating what school Hallie should attend.  We really couldn't lose - both the public school and the charter school locally are highly-rated.  We have friends that attend both and their parents praised both schools.  After much prayer (and two years on a waiting list), we selected the charter school.  One of our top reasons was half-day kindergarten (which is great for Hallie) and the other was uniforms.  After wearing our Sunday best weekly for our entire lives, Chris and I felt that official clothing would help set the tone for learning - at least for our girl. 

  Hallie decided she wanted her hair curly on the first day of school, so she went to bed in rag curlers the night before.  The kindergarten girl got to pick her breakfast.  She chose bagels and fruits (with her ultimate fav - blueberries).

Hallie asked me at breakfast "What if sharks just swam in chocolate milk?"  True to Hallie form, she was super-animated and waving her arms around to paint the scene.

About two weeks before school started, I started coaching the girls on what our new nightly and morning routines would be.  The day before we even did a dry run complete with a drive to school (and pictures).

Even after all that, on the official first day, Hallie was kind enough to let me do a full photo shoot. 

Bless her.

   

   

family prayer

We were so lucky that Daddy could be there for the first day too.  It made me way less emotional.

For the record, both Chris and I were the teeniest bit misty at times.

  

Brave Hallie was the a teeny bit teary too.  But as she told us later, it was "only just for a teeny-tiny little bit" and then she was so happy because of all the friends.  Three hours later, we picked up the most enthusiastic little girl.  She was eager to tell us every detail.  And we ate it up.

When we told her she could pick a special place for lunch, she gave us three nano-seconds before squealing for Red Robin.  So, Red Robin it was.  One bowl of spaghetti and about three tumblers of chocolate milk later we headed home where she partook or her ceremonial first day of school cookie.

And, since we are such suckers for tradition, we had our first back to school family dinner that evening.

You know I wouldn't miss the chance for a themed meal.  So we dined on:

• school time subs
• vegetable ABC soup
• alphabet crackers
• grapes (no real theme there)
• and school book ice cream sandwiches 

After dinner, Chris gave both the girls father's blessings to prepare for the school year.  I'm so thankful they have such a thoughtful, invested dad.

Hallie went to bed eager for another school day.  And Chris and I fell into bed grateful - and exhausted.

Now Claire waits eagerly for "pre-cool" to start in several weeks.  Here we go again - happily.