Good Bye Kindergarten

Ummm, where has the time gone?  My baby.....not only is in school...he has graduated from Kindergarten and starts 1st Grade tomorrow!  This can't be true....I swear just yesterday he was learning how to walk and talk.
 
O is so excited for tomorrow....he has told me 15 times how excited he is for school to start and to see all of his friends.  I couldn't be happier to know that my child loves school....but I hate that this whole school thing is making him grow up so fast.
 
One year ago tomorrow....O's First Day of Kindergarten:

 

And O's last day of Kindergarten last year:

 

Troy wrote this letter to Owen on his last day of Kindergarten:

 

Today I have reflected on the fact that Owen is no longer in Kindergarten.  Yes, I am happy that he made it through but I am also sad that he will be in First grade.  Kindergarten to me is innocence, new friends, and a new environment.  Kindergarten is fun.  First grade is harder.  There is homework, there is time management.  I fear that Owen will lose his joy in going to school.  But before that I want to talk about what I will miss about him being in Kindergarten.

 

   I will miss that first day.  He was a big boy and never looked back. 

 

   His face that morning.  He ran downstairs and laid so innocently on the love seat.

 

   Owen and I spent many mornings waiting until 7:48 AM. 

 

   All those races to the bus stop.

 

   The stories he would tell about Senor Wein (Spanish teacher) and his other teachers.

 

   Talking about running and how some were faster than him.

 

   Back to school night in little chairs.

 

   Parent teacher conference.

 

   Watching him move from the front of the bus to the back.

 

   Seeing him jump off the bus and sprint to you for a hug.

 

   Leaving his lunch box and jackets regularly.

 

   Hearing him yell "BUS" everyday when everyone else has already seen it.

 

   Going to school dressed as the boy from the Polar Express.

 

   His face the first day that he missed school because he was sick.

 

   Raising money for the Jump Rope for Heart.

 

   The Winterpock 5K

 

   Eating lunch with him on May 25th and seeing his face when he realized that I was thee.

 

   The Word Wall Ball and seeing him dance like a pro.

 

   Being the Core Value Student and receiving his award.

 

   "Daddy is this pimp? Is it Pimp enough?" while standing on the bathroom counter.

 

   But most of all I will miss his innocence of being a kindergartner.  The smile may not 

  go away but over time the innocence will.

 

I am proud of you Owen!

 

Love,

 

Daddy

 

I have teared up every time Troy has read it to me.  I hope that we all love First Grade as much as we have Kindergarten.

 

Owen....welcome to first grade bud, we wish you the world.