River’s First Day of Kindergarten

I was a puddle on the day when my first born, River, started Kindergarten. This was a bittersweet day that I had been anticipating for some time, and yet I still felt so unprepared. It felt like just yesterday that I brought home this beautiful bundle from the hospital, and now she was growing up before our eyes.

In the days leading up to this day, we had been busy gathering school supplies, choosing between backpacks, picking out a special outfit to wear and packing her lunch bag filled with her favorite snacks. The teacher had given us “Ready Confetti” to put under River’s pillow the night before with a little note that brought me to tears. That night we were both ready and nowhere near ready at the same time, but inevitably the time had come.

When we got to the school, I could feel the emotional goodbyes from the other parents, and I remember trying to fight back tears myself. We were greeted by a warm smile from River’s teacher who gave me just what I needed in that moment, the reassurance that she was in good hands and it was going to be okay. And with that, it was time for me to let go. I said my goodbyes, told her how proud I was of her and that I love her very much, and off I went.

I counted down the hours and minutes until pick-up time. Story and I kept busy baking apple cupcakes to surprise River with when she got home. We also made edible pencils out of vanilla wafers dipped in Candy Melts to fill the time. Then at last after a long 3 hour-ish wait, it was finally time. Her brother, sister and I piled back into the car and headed back to the school. We were the first ones there, surprise surprise. We waited and waited and waited until at last the door burst open. Kid after kid came flying through the door, and then second to last a familiar face with a great big smile came running towards us and nearly knocked over her siblings.

When we got home we heard all about River’s first day, and the new friends that she had made. That night, when I opened River’s backpack I found yet another note from River’s teacher filled with all kinds of symbolic items. It was such a beautiful keepsake that we will always treasure.

River’s first day of Kindergarten went better than I could have imagined. All the worries and concerns that preoccupied my brain the night before had faded, and I was ready for day 2 and all that that would entail. It was time to tuck River into bed, and to get a good night’s rest. What a special day it was, a day that I will remember fondly.