Last First Day of School

While everyone is posting their back-to-school, first day of school pictures, I am sitting quietly with my thoughts.

This is the first year, I didn't bug Lauren, about taking a picture on the first day of school-her senior year. I was kind of hoping she would ask, but respect that she didn't.

It seems like just yesterday when we were known at the YMCA of Beaver Dam as the Mom and daughter who came in every single day of preschool and could be heard from down the hallway because of Lauren's screaming and crying. This painful ritual happened every single day for an entire year. It was awful. While I knew that I couldn't, all I wanted was to take her home and never make her leave the house for school again.

It just seems like yesterday that I sent each of the kids off that first day of school, with tears running down my face. I remember all the thoughts whirling through my head about wanting them to have great days and make great choices, but the main thought always was, "Don't forget how much you are loved and how proud I am of you. Believe in yourself and your dreams."

After getting them to the school, I would call their Dad, Bill, and through my tears try to describe what those first day of school pictures couldn't capture. There weren't enough words or tissues for that.

It is so bittersweet to have Lauren, enter into her last year at Beaver Dam High School. You see while she is taking that big step into her senior year at high school, she is also taking the first step into walking away to create her own life. 

No matter where any of my kid's footsteps take them, I hope that they know that I still carry them in my heart and will always do so. I still worship the ground they walk on (even if it is littered with dirty laundry, books, etc.), and I will always be there to help them up if they are feeling down.

People talk about Bucket Lists and one of the things that I can check off mine is having fantastic kids.