Today was Maia's first day of school! She is officially in elementary school now, and I must confess that letting her go was difficult for me. Kindergarten wasn't as big a deal because it only lasted 2.5 hours, but now she stays at school from 8:30 to 3:10. That is a long time! Thankfully, she can come home for lunch if she chooses. Of course, she thrives on hanging out with her friends, so she doesn't want to come every day, but once a week or so will still give us something to look forward to.
I know I'll feel better in a couple of days, but I feel a bit incomplete right now. The oddest moment was during lunch, when I realized there was no reason to leave a seat empty between Tai and me, so I sat in Maia's seat. Then, as if on cue, Tai asked me what Maia was going to eat for lunch and suggested we save some food for her. I don't cry often these days, but if I were going to cry, that would have been the moment. It seems like just yesterday that Maia was a toddler. How has the time passed so quickly?
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| Little Maia (9 months old) practicing standing up with her daddy. |
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| Remember this picture? Maia (3 years old) on her first day of preschool. |
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| Maia today! How grown-up she looks! |
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| The kids look so big in this picture. Is it my imagination? |
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| Maia with her teacher, Mrs. Jacobs. We already love her! |
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I will miss my sweet little girl, but I am proud that she is so confident and eager to go off to school. And I'm looking forward to having new and different experiences with her as she gets older. This is what life is about, I believe. It's hard to let go, but in the end, it's best for our children to experience freedom and independence. Although, I must admit, I now completely understand why some families choose to home school their children.
