And the Sun took a step back,
the leaves lulled themselves to sleep
and Autumn was awakened.
Raquel Franco
I promised myself at the beginning of the school year that I would NOT get sentimental and weepy at every milestone this year, our last at preschool. Now, just a month in, and I’m realizing that I have to work harder at it than I thought I would.
I suppose it’s because fall is my favorite time of year and because our little school’s sweet pumpkin patch has been a marker for us in so many ways — and now a new one: Our firstĀ true “last time” yet. (Yes, we had our last first day of preschool, but we’ll have first days of school for 13 more years.) This was our last time trudging up the pine straw hill to explore a lawn covered in orange. The last Halloween book read with a spooky cadence around the unlit fire pit. The last debate on which gourd will make the perfect Class Pumpkin. And, to make our family’s last visit even more special, Emma Vance was able to join Cricket’s class as they ran wild. (And, as expected, she pretty much acted like an unsolicited Teacher’s Assistant the whole time, haha!)
It was the perfect way to begin our lasts, and the perfect way to usher in the season. Hello, cool weather, orange pumpkins, and fallen leaves! We’ve been waiting for you!