The end of school was tough this year. We managed the increased activity fairly well, as I wrapped up my obligations as a MOPS leader and young mom's bible study leader. We got through the end of Kindermusik, the ballet recital, the many end of the year parties, graduations, gifts to send for various weddings, high school graduations, etc. just fine. But this year was Christa's last year in her precious, little, safe, wonderful, church pre-school setting. This was the last year I had to be late dropping the kids off without a black mark on our record, to pick Christa up right after lunch every day, to have Fridays to do whatever we want, to not have to be anywhere until 9am, and to be able to take a family vacation during school hours without guilt or make-up work. Next year, we'll have to be up and out of the house by 7:45am. (I sure hope the new baby is a good sleeper and a fast eater)! Christa will be in school all day long, 5 days a week. My life will revolve around dropping kids off at different places, at different times, and then picking them up in the middle of nap time for the little ones. There are a lot of things that I am not looking forward to about the changes that will come in just over a month. But I know it's time for Christa to start "real" school, and I've exhausted every delay tactic I can think of! She is excited and ready, and if I have to drag us all out of the house before sunrise to send my sweet baby girl away for the day, I can't think of a better place than the safe and relatively small school we have chosen for her where we know our values will be reinforced for her. Plus, it's located right next to a Bojangle's, where I can get a large coke in a styrofoam cup every morning, if that's what I need to cope :)
Still, I've known all year long that it will be a big change and adjustment. The thing I've struggled the most with is the changes that are going to come with our friends from our beloved pre-school. Christa's closest little friends are all scattering to different elementary schools and even different grades. Their moms have become some of my closest friends, and I know that even though we might stay in touch and have the kids play together once in a while, it probably won't be the same. I have found that it is sooooo much harder to have the same friends year after year in my adult life. I remember hanging out with the same "best friends" for years as I was going through school. As an adult, things are always changing. We're always naturally spending more time with completely different groups of people, and while it's fun to be constantly getting to know new friends, I sort of miss the days of having one or two "best friends" for 5 or 10 years at a time!
So, with all of these thoughts and emotions increasing as each week of the Spring semester went by, the kids and I soaked up every opportunity to thoroughly enjoy each end-of-the-year play date and activity that we could squeeze in! We made some great memories, and couldn't have finished out the year any better. Enjoy the pictures!
