K is for Kindergarten

Today was a very emotional day for the Stivers house. It was the first day of Kindergarten for Kaleigh. I wanted to take her to school and escort her to her classroom, but 1) the school strongly recommended riding the bus and 2) even if I dropped her off I could not walk her back to her classroom. Oh, how times have changed! The good thing is that in our HSE school district riding the bus is very common so she was so excited for the bus ride. She had a great 1st grade leader Riley who is our next door neighbor and helped Kaleigh get adjusted to the bus and school.

There were tears shed as she got on the bus for the very short ride (the school is only about 1 mile away from our house). BTW, there were no tears from Kaleigh at ALL, only her mom! I found the poem below posted below the pics and had to share because it is so appropriate. Bring on the kleenex!!!

The First Day of Kindergarten

She started school this morning,
And she seemed so very small.
As I walked there beside her
In the Kindergarten hall.

And as she took her place beside
the others in the class,
I realized how all too soon
Those first few years can pass.

Remembering, I saw her as
She first learned how to walk.
The words that we alone made out
When she began to talk.

This little girl so much absorbed
In learning how to write.
It seems as though she must have grown
To girlhood overnight.

My eyes were blurred and hastily
I brushed the tears away
Lest by some word or sign of mine
I mar her first big day.

Oh how I longed to stay with her
And keep her by the hand
To lead her through the places
That she couldn’t understand.

And something closely kin to fear
Was mingled with my pride.
I knew she would no longer be
A baby by my side.

But she must have her chance to live,
To work her problems out,
The privilege to grow and learn
What life is all about.

And I must share my little girl
With friends and work and play;
She’s not a baby anymore –
She’s in Kindergarten today.