Annah's 1st day of Kindergarten

Annah's first day of kindergarten was today. I know it's cliché, but I really don't know how this day came so quickly. It was really hard. Annah did really well. Awesome even. Jeremy shed a few tears. I felt like a bumbling fool just trying to keep it together all morning. In fact, I'm still weepy about it all. Anyway, it's not about me, it's about Annah, and she did great.

Jeremy took Sylvia &Caeden into Bloomington to the Stambaugh's early this morning so he and I could go to the parents' kindergarten orientation. It was strange to help Annah get ready with only the two of us in the house. We did a lot of sitting around, waiting, chatting, and praying since there was no one else around to run after. Once Annah was all ready, we went outside and sat on the front porch and prayed. She played around in the yard a little and I took a few pictures of her with her backpack. When it was time, we headed to the bus stop--our next-door neighbors' driveway. We were waiting there when Daddy got back home and joined us. We talked about staying behind the sidewalk until the bus came, and told her about 8-million times how much we love her and how much fun she was going to have. She asked if we would wait there with her, and we told her we would stay there until we couldn't see her anymore. Then the bus came and she walked across the street and climbed on! Her stop is the last one before school, so the bus was already pretty full and she sat about 8 seats back and waved to us. That's when Jeremy and I lost it. Oh my gosh it was so hard. And, that's really silly, because then we got in our car and followed the bus to school!

When we got to the school, all the kids were lining up outside the building. Annah's teacher found her before we did, and Annah didn't see us. It was heartening to watch her find her place without our help. When the kindergartners went inside the parents followed. Annah still hadn't seen us, and we watched her find her place at her table and sit down before she noticed us. She said riding the bus was fun.

The orientation was nice. Mrs. Tompkins introduced herself, and the first thing we did was help put away the school supplies. Each student even has a gigantic locker, and Annah got to put her backpack and P.E. shoes in hers. The principal, school nurse, music teacher, and speech therapist all visited the classroom to introduce themselves too. We stayed for about an hour, I think, and Annah was really concentrating hard on coloring her rocket when we left.

Since she only went for 1/2 day today, we'd been home about an hour (after picking up Sylv & Caed) when she got home. Caeden had asked for Annah 3 times, and my heart was aching to see her too. She ran to me and gave me a huge hug when she got off the bus. (Now I know how Jeremy feels when he gets greeted at the door every night when he comes home!) We were all so happy to see her. (I think Monday is going to be super hard when she is gone ALL day long!! I'm not going to be able to do anything all day waiting on her to get home! I know this will pass quickly...)

After she got home, Annah reported that:

• She had chocolate milk for snack.
• At recess she didn't play, but stayed with Mrs. Tompkins and held her hand...but she did swing on the swings.
• There are 4 pieces of gum in the mouth jar and when it gets full everyone in the class will get a piece and if there are more than just one for everyone they will get more.
• The class walked around inside their school to see everything. "It was another tour."
• They went in the gym but didn't have P.E. They talked about lots of words like respect, and caring and lots of other words she couldn't remember.
• Lauren and Tatum (girls she went to preschool with) are in the other kindergarten class, but they didn't see her; and they were too fast for her to go up to them to say hi.
• Mrs. Tompkins said she would miss her.
• She had lots of fun.
• She can't wait to go to art class.
• There is a cubby in the table where she sits for all the kids at the table to put their school box in.
• Nobody got their rocket moved to the 'warning' box today.
  
  
  All in all, it seems Annah had a great day. She didn't cry at all.
   
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Our sweet little Annah all ready for her first day of kindergarten.

How can this day have come so quickly?

Playing with the tree is one of Annah's favorite things to do in our front yard

Spread those wings Little Butterfly...

 "I love you so much Annah."

 Mommy was just trying to hold it together at this point.

Here comes the bus!!

There goes our big school girl.

Daddy watching Annah at orientation.

SHE'S HOME!!!!! Getting off the bus after her first day of school!

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Friday, August 25, 2006 - At supper, Caeden really liked the angel food cake with pistachio pudding icing...so much so that he literally licked his plate clean.