The End of an Era

It's official.  Tomorrow marks the last day of kindergarten this family will ever have.  No more fun after school lunch dates before the others get home, no more playing at the park just the two of us, no more mommy/child playdates for just Carson and me.  How did it happen so fast?!?!?!  You always hear everyone say it will, but it never really sinks in until it actually happens to you! 

I have loved this year with Carson.  He has been in a classroom with a wonderful teacher and has had so many firsts: first tooth lost, first year playing sports, first books read all by himself.  It has been an amazing ride.  Each step is bitter sweet- like today when I realized in the pool that he is not clinging onto me and is venturing out on his own- great, but just another step in achieving more independence.

 I find that too often I allow things to get in the way of savoring each and every moment of it all.  I get too stressed out about little things, driven crazy by sibling fighting, exhausted at the whining rather than really listening to what is behind it.  So often lately the stress of trying to figure out and help Noah is crushing and I hope my little guy has felt loved and taken care of through it all. 

So many fun stages of life right now right where we are- for all of them.  Hoping I will take the time to enjoy them and to realize they won't always be there...these are precious days.  Below are the words to a song Carson's class sang at their end of the year program Thursday- which I cried through.  It truly is my hope to see this in all of my children...I often feel I am failing miserably at it, but I hope when it is all said and done they will have felt it in their little lives.

See me beautiful,
look for the best in me.
That’s what I really am,
and all I want to be.
It may take some time
It may be hard to find,
but see me beautiful.
See me beautiful,
each and every day.
Could you take a chance?
Could you find a way?
To see me shining through
in everything I do
and see me beautiful.
~ by Kathy and Red Grammer