Today marks the first day of Ivan's academic career...may it be long and successful.
Ivan started Preschool today. J and I chose this particular school because of it's Christian focus and just the "feeling" that I had in my heart when we visited last February during sign-ups. It was between this school and another Christian Preschool here in the area. My sister sent my niece there for three years. Frankly, that is where I always thought that Ivan would go too. I liked what I saw when I visited both schools and I prayed very hard about what was the right school for Ivan before calling both schools and giving them the verdict. In the end I know that we made the right choice for Ivan.
This morning I took Ivan into his classroom and we located the special hook for his backpack. Then his teacher, Ms. Kris, came over and led him to a little table and got him interested in coloring his "self-portrait". I slipped out and only peeked through the glass pane in the door for a moment before heading out to my car alone. As soon as he was out my sight my eyes welled with tears and I had visions of me spending the next two plus hours in tears. Then I pulled it together and realized that this is one of those "this is what it is all about moments". You want your child to be comfortable and happy in a new setting and able to leave your side. Ultimately that is what parenting is all about, right? Raising these little souls to leave you and go out and flourish. So, I pulled it together and pulled out of the parking lot no longer sad that my little one has grown-up so much in such a short time, but thrilled that he is doing it so well.
I picked him up a few short hours later in the carpool line. As his assistant teacher, Ms. Kym buckled him in she said that Ivan had a fabulous day and that he was a real joy in class. What more could a nervous mom want to hear?
On the drive home Ivan and I discussed his day at preschool. The teachers provide a calendar of events for each day so that we parents will know what happened at school that day. We talked about the self portrait that he colored...apparently sans hair because he had no idea what color hair he had given himself. We discussed his snack (cheese cubes, pretzels and apple juice) and he told me about sliding down the slide and climbing up the ladder on the playground. He told me that they had music/chapel as well. All in all it sounded like a jam packed morning of fun and learning.
He is my precious gift from God and I am so grateful that he is mine.
