It's Ok Mom...I'm a Big Boy Now

This morning Brad and I took the morning off from work to take Braden to his first morning of preschool. He will be going to Heritage Hills Preschool one day a week from 9-12. After a big breakfast of waffles and grapes (Braden's favorite fruit of the month) we snapped a few pics and headed to Conyers. On the drive to Conyers I talked to him about going to school and seeing his new teachers, Ms. Karen and Ms. Mary. We talked about some of the students he would be seeing that he met yesterday at Open House (my parents took him). He kept saying "ool...ool (school)". And then we passed a prison bus and the rest of the way to Conyers all that I heard was "bus...bus".

I was a little apprehensive about how he was going to do since he has never stayed with anyone other than family. He got so excited when I parked and he looked out the window and saw Brad get out of his truck. He started saying "Daddy, Daddy". Brad got him out of the car and we debated on putting his book bag on him. I envisioned him walking into school wearing his new book bag, but every time I tried it on him at home he would fuss and pull it off. We decided that it was worth a try. To our astonishment he wore the book bag and strutted down the breezeway to join his classmates who were waiting for the doors to open along with their very anxious parents (glad we weren't the only ones!).

When the doors opened we were greeted by Ms. Mary and we headed to Braden's classroom. As soon as we hit the door to the classroom he dropped my hand and joined some of his classmates standing in a group. (I had visions of him in middle school instantly~how scary!) I was kneeling down staring at him socializing with his classmates and these words escaped from my mouth before I even realized they were coming out "He's not going to miss me at all"! AHHHHHH! How did I become that mom? Please tell me that other moms have felt that way too?!!? I think that his teacher might have even heard me. I was mortified. However, my precious boy must have sensed my trepidation because he walked over to me and put is arms around my neck and hugged me. It was like he was reassuring me 'it's ok mom....I'm a big boy now'. It was the sweetest thing ever (& my wonderful husband even caught it on video so I can always relive that touching moment...thanks Brad). Isn't it amazing how our rough and tough boys have a way of melting our hearts more than anyone ever could?

I left the room to go get his school supplies from the car and on my way back Brad came out and said that he was the only parent left in the classroom and we needed to go. What??? Leave my baby already? He needed me right? Oh, how very wrong I was. The teachers had already closed the bottom half of the door and being the psycho/crazy parent that I didn't know I was until earlier this morning I hung my body over the top half of the door and snapped pictures while my son was oblivious to the fact that I had even left the room and his teachers were giving me the "ok woman...it's time for you to go look" that I have given to so many parents myself. Thank goodness that Brad is just as crazy as I am because he was hanging over the door video taping Braden so I didn't feel quite so bad! However, I would like to apologize for all of the not so nice thoughts i had about some of my "crazy" parents! My mom was right this morning when she told me that it is definitely a different view depending on which side of the door you are on!

My mom picked him up this afternoon and she said that he was having such a great time when she got there that he looked up, flashed her a smile and kept on playing. What a brave big boy!

Thank you Lord for my amazing son who is even braver than I could ever be. Thank you for giving me courage through him and for giving him the gift to be brave even when I am not. Thank you for the opportunity to put him in a school where he can more about you and have teachers who will take care of him. Thank you for giving him the opportunity to grow up in a home where he is confident in who he is and secure in the fact that when we leave him we will always return. Thank you for our precious blessing.