Off To a Running Start

 

   Last week I had made plans to go jogging with my friend and fellow MMW, Amber. It took some finagling to get schedules aligned and to find enough strollers to hold all of our kids, but we managed and agreed to meet Saturday morning. Morning came, and as I roused myself from my bed I'm sure I asked myself a hundred times "Why on earth did I agree to wake up on a SATURDAY and go running jogging bouncy walking?" *Just to clarify, in case you haven't gathered as much thus far, I am NOT a morning person. At all. Nope. I'm pretty sure I look like Frankenstein's Monster trudging along as I get my kids ready each morning. Luckily they're used to it so I don't terrify them or anything. Hopefully.

   We were just about ready to go, and as I was herding my girls downstairs to grab some breakfast, and only running 15 minutes behind, I said to them "OK, lets hurry and eat breakfast so we can go to the swamp and meet our friends." Or something to that effect. I made it two steps down when I realized my oldest wasn't following. I turned to her and found her eyes rimmed with tears and her little chin quivering. I asked her what the matter was. With as much concern as any little girl could have she said, "Mom, if we go I'll miss the bus!" I then told her that she didn't need to worry because the bus doesn't come on Saturdays. And then, while choking back tears, she responded "Then how will I get to school?" Trying my best to hide my smile for fear of making her feel bad, I told her she didn't have school on Saturdays, only on M, T, W, H, and F's. With her lip still quivering she nodded her understanding, but fell into my shoulder and let out a few sobs. I held her and told her I was very happy that she likes school so much and reminded her that she would get to go again the following Monday. This seemed to help her feel better. She took a deep breath and we were able to go on getting ready.

   I think it is safe to say that her first week of Kindergarten was a success. And here's to hoping that her love of school lasts another 12 years!