This summer while we were in Greece miles away from home, we'd settle into bed for the night and talk to one another. I remember endless questions, stories, anxiety & a few tears as we discussed Kindergarten and all that it would entail. You were eager to learn but one little small thread kept you connected to me..."But Mommy, I want you to be there too!" From that little sentence....those little fears....the story of 'Shoo!' was born! I never really remember the words of our stories as they unfold in those quiet moments together but the setting, characters, lesson, etc. pretty much stays the same......This story is about Mommy being a teacher and little children coming to my classroom.......just as you walked into your 'K' classroom today....Once upon a time when Mommy was a teacher, it was the first day of school. The little boys and girls that came to my classroom were left there to learn just like I'll leave you in your class! These boys and girls learned and learned! They learned to write stories in their journals. We sang songs. We ate lunch....playground.....and before we knew it, it was the end of the day! I 'shooed' those boys and girls out the door telling them 'to go home!' (You laughed at the silly tone of the story! And the story continued to unfold....) Do you know what those boys and girls did? They came back on the second day of school....and we learned and learned and learned...and played...and sang! And the end of the day came and I shooed them again!?! And they came back again.....Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! My students kept coming back! So I assured you that as you learned all about what school was about and who your teacher was you'd keep going back again and again to learn more---and that your teacher too would SHOO! you out the door---and you'd go back for more.....Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! The endless laughter that we shared was an unexpected moment of joy!
After visiting your school, Fifth Consolidated Elementary School, for the back to school bash you requested that our tale be retold last night, the day before your first half day of Kindergarten! So the story unfolded...and the reassurance came again when I drove you to school this morning! And when I picked you up, you smiled in the back seat and asked, "Mommy, did my teacher Shoo! me away today!?!" I love your little heart of stories....our stories. So I said, "Well, Mrs. Tami might not know our story about 'Shoo!' but I can shoo you away in the mornings and you can keep coming back to me in the afternoon!"
"But, I told her Mommy!"
Our afternoon was busy with the promise of poolside fun after your half day at school! Only after an hour at the pool, you requested to go home to rest. Snacks and cartoons.......and a six year old physical appointment.....little snuggles with your kittens who have found a napping spot on the carpet (just like I found this unexpected snapshot on my camera taken by you)...
....and as I pulled together a few little thoughts this evening you grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and ask Mommy to help you spell a few words. A sentence penned....a letter folded and placed in an envelope for Daddy.......unexpected moments of joy, indeed!
The letter you wrote to Daddy simply said, "Sophia was at Kindergarten having fun!"
A mini storm brew up without warning tonight just when Daddy made it home in time to grill tenderloin for dinner---fresh salads, homemade fries, and summer sweet corn on the cob but your little eyes were already glossed over. You had rubbed your face until it was red. I happened to catch a gap in that tired first half day smile (and with five teeth missing), I was able to shovel in a few pieces of tenderloin and fries.
Caroline must have known that the rain was coming and that as some point you'd need a raincoat for kindergarten! That doll is a sneaky snake....before we left for the pool this afternoon we discovered her with your raincoat.....Mommy was really the one that ordered it but I must say I didn't see it arrive in the mail......it is a little BIG but if you're growing 1/2 an inch every six weeks (like you did this summer), you'll fit perfectly in it this school year!
At bedtime, you begged to play games with Daddy. Pleading didn't win you a game, only prayers prior to bedtime! When Daddy prayed for you to like school, you said: "I already do like school!"
You wanted to show Mommy how you could read Go. Dog. Go! all by yourself so we read it aloud (Mommy helping along the way so we could get to the end faster trying to beat the clock for more rest time!?!)! When we turned out the light, you noted that it was still light outside and that we did get in bed on time (before the sun went down)! We talked about that rising early in the fall would mean dark skies...why questions were elicited but I quieted them for the night with one magical word, 'Shoo!' You perked up again with lines from our story: "Shoo! And they came back again...Shoo! And they came back again.....Shoo! And they came back again.....Shoo!" You laughed in the lighted-dark bedroom with your little, big arms around my neck. My heart was full.
One little request to go find Daddy. No was the answer. You rolled over and asked why so many children were going to be in your classroom tomorrow. You asked if I would walk you from the front again---and every day!?! Until I can.......
What an honor it is to be your mother.....to know that you want me near.....that you trust my presence as God has entrusted me to be your mom! A gift that I'll treasure through every moment of each day---through the trials and these unexpected moments of joy in our days......
Until you 'Shoo!' me away.......
I love you little, BIG kindergarten girl!
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| Sophia at the Back-to-School Bash |
"But, I told her Mommy!"
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| Daddy Motivation: Pep Talk & Fist Bumps |
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| First 1/2 Day of Kindergarten |
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| READY!?! |
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| Outside the front door--uncertain!?! |
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| Your five little kittens (+ mommy cat) = SIX (just like YOU)! |
....and as I pulled together a few little thoughts this evening you grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and ask Mommy to help you spell a few words. A sentence penned....a letter folded and placed in an envelope for Daddy.......unexpected moments of joy, indeed!
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| Mommy's little WRITER! |
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| Always thinking of GIVING to those you love---little hands covered this address label yesterday as I walked into the playroom! You were sitting at my desk. I didn't question you since you were busy creating and writing! I always have rules but sometimes it's worth the unexpected joy to have a few of them broken. As I walked out of the playroom, you said to no one in particular: "Phew! That was close!" Today while you were at school, I discovered that you had Mommy's address labels & 'Sophia' tags down from the top shelf! |
The letter you wrote to Daddy simply said, "Sophia was at Kindergarten having fun!"
A mini storm brew up without warning tonight just when Daddy made it home in time to grill tenderloin for dinner---fresh salads, homemade fries, and summer sweet corn on the cob but your little eyes were already glossed over. You had rubbed your face until it was red. I happened to catch a gap in that tired first half day smile (and with five teeth missing), I was able to shovel in a few pieces of tenderloin and fries.
Caroline must have known that the rain was coming and that as some point you'd need a raincoat for kindergarten! That doll is a sneaky snake....before we left for the pool this afternoon we discovered her with your raincoat.....Mommy was really the one that ordered it but I must say I didn't see it arrive in the mail......it is a little BIG but if you're growing 1/2 an inch every six weeks (like you did this summer), you'll fit perfectly in it this school year!
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| Sneaky Snake Caroline had a surprise waiting for YOU! |
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| Flower-Flower Baby, Shower-Shower Mommy: From one of our first board books together...toddler days to these summery first days of kindergarten---and when the rain comes we'll be prepared to slip into another day of JOY! |
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| A New Season: Kindergarten |
You wanted to show Mommy how you could read Go. Dog. Go! all by yourself so we read it aloud (Mommy helping along the way so we could get to the end faster trying to beat the clock for more rest time!?!)! When we turned out the light, you noted that it was still light outside and that we did get in bed on time (before the sun went down)! We talked about that rising early in the fall would mean dark skies...why questions were elicited but I quieted them for the night with one magical word, 'Shoo!' You perked up again with lines from our story: "Shoo! And they came back again...Shoo! And they came back again.....Shoo! And they came back again.....Shoo!" You laughed in the lighted-dark bedroom with your little, big arms around my neck. My heart was full.
One little request to go find Daddy. No was the answer. You rolled over and asked why so many children were going to be in your classroom tomorrow. You asked if I would walk you from the front again---and every day!?! Until I can.......
What an honor it is to be your mother.....to know that you want me near.....that you trust my presence as God has entrusted me to be your mom! A gift that I'll treasure through every moment of each day---through the trials and these unexpected moments of joy in our days......
Until you 'Shoo!' me away.......
I love you little, BIG kindergarten girl!
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