Coker Family: I knew this day would come....

I have struggled writing this post...Not because I have nothing to say, but rather the opposite...I have so much I want to say. I feel flooded by the emotions of G going to kindergarten. I have known this day would come, but I do not think I was adequately prepared in the least bit!

Where did the 5 years go?

I think I am a little disturbed because I remember my own kindergarten so vividly. I can walk through my kindergarten classroom and typical day in my mind as if it were yesterday...recalling where I hung my backpack, the feel of the cardboard crayon with my name on it at my table, the poster with butterflies that had unknown words longed to be able to read, the heaviness of the earphones in the listening center (I am old...there were no earbuds in 1982), the creak of my teacher's rocking chair she would sit in when she would read to us, the funny way the water fountain in the middle of the classrooms (we were in an open-concept kindergarten) shot up if you pressed the button too hard, the search for the gingerbread man we found in Mrs. Windborn's office, Mrs. Windborn's red high heels, standing in line outside the kindergarten pod with the other bus riders, Mrs. Bethke's beautiful fingernails and voice I believed had to be that of an angel, wanting my name to be written perfectly straight on the purple felt hand that would make our class quilt...

I also remember so vividly the things that happened that year in my "home" world...standing in our street while the eye of Hurricane Alicia passed over head as my dad attempted to explain the calm before the storm started again, my parents sitting in the kitchen with Karen and Mark discussing if my mom was in labor with Justin (she was!), my dad trimming the hedges along the side of the house in the backyard, starring at the clown holding balloons that hung on the nursery wall as my mom changed Justin's diaper, going to see in the movie theater Annie with Nana, my beautiful blue silky nightgown, and, of course, my broken arm and polka-dot sundress from Dube's.

So many memories.

Was that REALLY almost 30 years ago? Where did the time go? Did I really grow up? When on earth did these realities become nothing more than memories for me, and when did I become part of making memories for my offspring? Am I worthy of this responsibility?

And, so I hugged my little one on his first day of kindergarten and prayed the memories he makes this year will be more incredible than my own.

My big kindergarten boy will not comprehend for years the significance of this day.

Nor will he understand until, God willing, he has his own child go to their first day of kindergarten what these hugs meant to his father and myself. This day was, of course, a milestone for him, but it was equally one for us as well.

I am confident he is in a classroom where he will be safe, find encouragement, and delight in all the "fun" things that happen in kindergarten. However, I want my son to to "get" more from this year...I want for him to unearth some of those"social skills" that will bring his great success in life, relish in newly found confidence, discover the true joy of learning and not ever doubt he is loved at school, at home and by the Lord.