Spring Nostalgia

There is something about this time of year that makes me sentimental. And I know what that something is: the end of the school year.

The last time my first grader sings in a school concert. The last time my 3rd grader participates in Field Day. The last time they'll have their current grade school teachers.

Granted, they'll do all those things again next year, but next year they'll be a 2nd grader and a 4th grader when they do them. And time marches on. It seems like only yesterday this was the picture at our house.

Lindsey's 1st day of Kindergarten, Marissa in preschool

This was the day before that.

And this was only two days before THAT day.

Lindsey was "soooo big!"

I remember preparing to leave the safety of the hospital a few days after Lindsey was born. I kept waiting for a nurse to come in to my room and stop us from leaving with that tiny baby. "I'm sorry," I would imagine her saying, "But it has come to our attention that you do not have the qualifications to care for this baby, so we're going to take care of her for you until you're ready."

And honestly, I would have met that statement with some relief. Thank goodness SOMEONE realized it and stopped me before a terrible mistake had been made!

But that nurse never came. They happily whisked us out the door with discharge papers and instructions in hand (on how to care for the umbilical cord site, not how to raise that baby), with wishes of "Good luck!" and smiles on their faces. And I couldn't believe I'd gotten away with it. I'd actually convinced someone else that I was qualified for that job!

And now, now I ask myself, how did I get to be a parent of TWO grade schoolers? Am I qualified for this? I can tell Lindsey is tipping on the edge of being a tween -- I'm pretty sure I'm not ready for that.

You would think by now I would come to the realization that I always think I am never prepared for the next stage, but the next stage comes anyways, and guess what: I'm as prepared as I'll ever be.

Time marches on, and so I will savor and enjoy these last few days as the school work trickles down to nothing and projects and papers and all kinds of interesting treasures are brought home.

And some day I'll look back and say, "Aww, remember how cute they were when they were grade schoolers?" And hopefully my kids will have this blog to realize how much their mom enjoyed these days of their childhood.