As a child, I loved school. And I loved my teachers. I distinctly remember sobbing on the last day of school nearly every year of elementary school because I was so sad that I wouldn’t see my teachers ever again. (They were probably like, “Get it together, kid.”) Today, however, as I walked Emma Vance into preschool one last time, there were no kids crying — just moms sniffling as they shuffled down those well-loved hallways.
It seems like one million years ago that we started this preschool journey. I can hardly remember the nervousness I felt walking her to class that very first time. Thank goodness for blogs, because this morning I glanced back at E.V.’s first day of preschool ever. How little she is! I can’t believe how much has changed in the past four years — and how much hair she’s grown, haha! If nothing else, seeing my tiny 18-month old first-born again reminded me of the reality that she is not a baby anymore, no matter how I work the numbers or squint my eyes. Emma Vance is a kid, and now she is no longer a preschooler. Sigh. I’m not ready for this.
The past two weeks have been packed with lots of “graduation” activities — pizza night, signing shirts, sing-a-longs, superlatives, picnics, and class parties. I will cherish each of those moments forever. Perhaps my favorite moment, though, came from the teachers reading out the superlatives (or, really, what the kids said about each other), and sweet Emma Vance confessing her love for Tripp, her preschool crush. “I love him very much and I want to marry him someday. He is so handsome.” (The poor kid has no idea what to do with her!) Her heart has been set on Tripp all year, not wavering for even one moment. There have been quite a few ups and downs — the time he said he didn’t want to marry her, the time he said he changed his mind, the nervousness of taking a picture with him (he put his arm around her!) at the class picnic. In the words of her teachers, “E.V. is the most confident girl ever — until she gets around Tripp. Then she’s tongue-tied and googley-eyed.” What can I say? My girl has a big heart, and she knows what she wants. (I haven’t yet broken the news to her that Tripp won’t be at her new school. There will be tears, I’m sure.)
As we walked out of preschool today, I pushed the momentousness of what was happening out of my mind. There is no crying in motherhood. Not in public anyway. ;) I’m just so proud of Emma Vance. She is the best.
Now onto summer!
Today was Cricket’s last day of school, too, but since she wasn’t graduating, little sis played it cool today.
Gah, I love these girls!
We had THE best teachers this year. We are so lucky!!
For teacher gifts, I did my annual class drawings. ;)
Like I mentioned, today was the culmination of a ton of events, beginning with Pizza Night and t-shirt signing, which the whole school was invited to.
For graduation, our class gathered in the sanctuary to perform some songs, receive their diplomas and hear what their friends said about them. Then we all picnicked outside in the yard.
At the end of the picnic, E.V. asked if she could get a picture with her future husband, and (THANKFULLY) Tripp was kind enough to oblige (and not cringe, since a lot of the boys in her class are in the “girls are gross” phase). She was so excited/nervous, clearly! ;)
After dismissal, a couple of the moms and I recreated this sweet little picture from our girls’ very first day of preschool. Sigh. They got so BIG!!
And, of course, one last class lunch, filled with crazy kids running amuck, pizza and lots of laughing (and scolding).
