Changes....

Ethan started Kindergarten today, and he has been excited for weeks.

On Friday, August 13, 2010, we picked Ethan up from the BSU Children’s Center for the last time. We cleaned out his “cubbie,” and he made sure we took his laminated name card tied to a basket with now frayed and faded yarn. He wanted to go out into the play ground where he frolicked for almost three years. He looked around and took a final spin on a beat up old tricycle (“Motorcycle Daddy!”) that he rode with speed and abandon. He wanted me to take a picture of him on it, and I did.

We walked past the reception area where he thanked Hob, the Center Director, and then we left through the “Magic Door” which is nothing more than a door for the disabled with a button to open it. Three years ago, that door was magic to a two year old. Now, it’s just a pleasant memory for him. We took a photo on the front step remembering how anxious all of us were when we first took him there in September of 2007 after a misstep at another preschool where the teacher was completely inappropriate. What a great and nurturing time we’ve all had at BSU.

We also took Ethan to Monroe Elementary earlier that week to see his new Kindergarten classroom. He walked all around the class, checked out the bathroom, the gym, and the play ground. He was excited to learn there will be 23 kids in his class because he is longing to find new friends in our area. He looks at Kindergarten as a new adventure filled with opportunity. I look at it as one more step toward me crying in the street as he drives off to college.

On August 24th, we attended an open house in his new class and had the opportunity to meet his new teacher, Miss Tori Doell. When his teacher and I looked at each other, we both laughed because we attended BSU together MANY years ago. "Miss Doell" was my college biology partner, and, as new Kindergartners swarmed around her, I whispered to her, "I hope you're not going to try teaching science because you weren't very good at it!" We both laughed.

The laughter and knowing his teacher takes away some of the normal apprehension I had as we dropped him off this morning, August 25th, for his first day. He is eager to make new friends, and he started introducing himself to other kids. He turned to go into his classroom, but ran back and kissed me on the check excitedly saying "Bye Daddy!" He quickly hugged his mom, and he was gone.

Miss Doell noted the tears in my eyes and said, "I'll take good care of him for you." She said that about our Biology starfish 25 years ago too!