School days

Well, the inevitable has happened.  My little boy has grown up enough to go to school.  He started last week, Thursday, August 25. That was our meet and greet day where he got to take all his supplies in, visit with his teacher, and check out his classroom. It took all of 20 minutes, so we had the rest of the day off.  We went sailing for the afternoon, it was a lovely day for it.  Friday was his first big day. We drove him to school that morning, he hung up his backpack on his hook and Mrs. Kaylor told him he could go outside to play and he was gone. No looking back.  Quay and I walked out to the car and I burst into tears as the door of the car was shut.  How could my little baby be ready for this stage of life already? Didn't we just bring him home from the hospital?  Life goes by so quickly, we need to cherish every moment we have with eachother.  When we got home Quay asked me, "can we go back and get him now?"  I wish that were the case, but no.  Ryder rode the bus home that afternoon and he had a smile from ear to ear as he stepped off the bus!! I was so happy that he was so happy and excited. He told me he loved school, and he answered all my questions. He had a good first day!  This week now has been a little different, for me at least. For the last 2 mornings I have sent him on the bus and it breaks my heart a little each time that I walk back to the house by myself, especially since Quay is at work. The house is pretty quiet, but I did manage to keep myself busy.  Ryder told me all about his day again yesterday. I asked him if he liked school and his reply was, "It's fun! I thought we would just have to sit in our desks all day."

I found this poem online, author unknown, and it fits me so perfectly.

Kindergarten Poem

He started school this morning,
And he seemed so very small.
As I walked there beside him
In the Kindergarten hall.

And as he took his place beside
the others in the class,
I realized how all too soon
Those first few years can pass.

Remembering, I saw him as
He first learned how to walk.
The words that we alone made out
When he began to talk.

This little boy so much absorbed
In learning how to write.
It seems as though he must have grown
To boyhood overnight.

My eyes were blurred but hastily
I brushed the tears away
Lest by some word or sign of mine
I mar his first big day.

Oh how I longed to stay with him
And keep him by the hand
To lead him through the places
That he couldn't understand.

And something closely kin to fear
Was mingled with my pride.
I knew he would no longer be
A baby by my side.

But he must have his chance to live,
To work his problems out,
The privilege to grow and learn
What life is all about.

And I must share my little boy
With friends and work and play;
He's not a baby anymore --
He's in Kindergarten today