Today is a BIG back to school day! My facebook is filled with children preschool to seniors who are heading to school. New backpacks, freshly packed lunch (Or if you were me in school, you just wanted lunch money!) and they are HOPEFULLY excited to get back to school and be with their friends to learn all the incredible things that don’t yet know about the world.

I can’t believe that Lacie will be in Kindergarten next year. This is our last year before official ‘Back to school’ events.These are her ‘Pre-K’ pictures that I took during her ‘session’ we did last week. NAH, I wasn’t emotional or nostalgic, I was just thinking ‘Wow, next year, a whole new part of her life begins. It’s not just a few children in a classroom she will know, it’s kids on the playground, kids in the halls, new teachers. The world opens up to more than just our back yard.

I even remember my first day of Kindergarten. I was attending Allen Elementary School in Dayton, Ohio and I was SOOO not excited. We had to wear uniforms. Saddle shoes too. I hated how restrictive the collar was on my shirt. My mom had me sitting at her vanity, combing through my long blond hair. I was ouching and complaining and wondering what the big deal was. Looking back, we as parents are sending these kids to school as a representation of us, huh? Kids will never understand it, fully, until they have children of their own. It’s just funny to look back on things in a new perspective.

As I think about exactly a year from now, I don’t know what to predict. I know Lacie will be excited. I know I will have a six month old baby on my hip as I send her into her new classroom. But I’m not sure how I’ll feel. As of right now, I don’t think I’ll be sad that she has gotten older or that this moment came too soon. I feel like her life is just truly starting. I’m excited for her. I’m so extremely happy for her. I can not wait to calm her down after a mean girl made fun of her and teach her how to deal with people of all different attitudes and backgrounds. That big smile on her face when bringing home her first fun project, first gold star, first report card. I can’t wait until she tells me the school lunch is disgusting and she hated it. (I’ll totally laugh!) I look forward to the time I get a call from the school telling me that she got in trouble (just hopefully not too much trouble….). Maybe some of those moments won’t feel nice in that exact moment but these are the memories that we collect and tell stories about later.

So for those of you that are experiencing or have experienced the first Kindergarten send off, I want to hear your story! (There is a comment box below!!! 🙂 )

What were you thinking? Did you cry in front of your child because you couldn’t hold it in or did you get in your car and sob? Or maybe you were just happy to get them out the door in one piece without forgetting anything! Do you remember your first day at school? What were you thinking when your parents sent you off to school? I think it’s important to share these moments with each other. I look forward to reading about your first send off.

And to the children that are heading off to school, take it all in. Remember that you have the best years of your life right in the palm of your hand. There will come a time in your life where you will not be excited about your new backpack, school clothes or writing with your brand new pencils. Be excited for new friends and new teachers. Be nice to your teachers. Remember not to shove too much stuff in your desk because mom and dad DO NOT want to pay for a damaged library book. Don’t yell or name call back when someone is mean to you. Remember that God has intended you to be everything so wonderful and spectacular that he created you to be me and even though you may not be good at math (Or whatever subject it may be), that doesn’t mean you were not destined to be something so smart and so great. ❤

Happy first day of school everyone.
— Becka at ENV.