empty nest

Well, it finally came. The first day of school. And the last day of full-time mommyhood.

I woke Caleb up this morning and asked him if he knew what he gets to do today. "Go to school!" So, I guess he is excited. I think he has just been reluctant to show much enthusiasm because he doesn't really know what to expect. Then he says later as I'm packing lunches, "Mom, you're gonna be all alone today!" Thanks, kid.

Marissa is excited about her new teacher and has already thoroughly examined the contents of her desk and can name them by heart. She is so like me. She is totally in her element in this place. The structure, the socialization, the challenges. Her only complaint about school is that you have to sit for so much of it.

Caleb is lucky enough to have the same teacher Marissa had for Kindergarten. We love her! And he has one other familiar face - a little girl from preschool sitting across the table from him. When it was time he walked into class and straight to his desk to wait for instructions. Then he asserted himself right in the middle of circle time. I was so proud of him for jumping right in.

We made sure to survey the line of Kindergartners and were pleased to see Caleb is far from the being the runt of the class that we were afraid he might be. I guess my baby is "big enough" for school after all. I guess.

As for how I did this morning, not as well as I would have expected. I knew this time would be a transition for me, but never expected this day to as emotional as it has been. I am not much of a crier, but for some reason when Caleb started into his classroom it just hit me. It was kind of embarrassing really. Good grief, my kid walks proudly and confidently into his first classroom with a smile on his face, hardly looking back, and I'm the one losing it! And coming home to this empty house was not fun either. My house somehow looks different without the 3-5 kids that it's used to.

So I will be lonely for a few days, but I am so excited for and proud of my kids. Brent stayed home this morning so we could all walk to school together. Marissa tells Caleb all the time about how great school is, and where to find things, where he will eat lunch... I think she is excited to have little brother at school with her.

Yeah, I think they'll be fine.