Big Girl at the Bus Stop

On Rachel's first full day of kindergarten she completely ditched me. She wanted to buy lunch at school and she wanted to ride the bus. What's a mommy to do if I can't make a lunch and wrap a sandwich with a cute little note or drive my daughter to school? I thought that I could get her snack while she was eating breakfast, but she had already selected it from the snack jar and put in her backpack. Humpf. She didn't want me to take her picture at the bus stop, so I had to be sneaky. I think she gave in for a smile when she saw the other mommies with cameras, too.

(The class was giving their teddy bears a tour of the school & we were told to bring a small stuffed bear or animal. Rachel invited Froggie and he had to be out of her backpack so he could see the bus.)After she got on the bus, David took my hand to walk home. "I think I might cry now, " he told me. So, I guess I'm not the only one who misses Rachel. Since they use rest mats for the first few months, David and I hopped in the car to follow the bus to deliver the mat that would have been big & bulky to carry on the bus. (This way, I also attended the Boo-Hoo/Ya-Hoo Breakfast that the PTO has for all the parents of kindergarteners. ) I looked ahead to the traffic light coming out of our neighborhood and just stared at the bus. I took this picture while thinking there goes my daughter. My one and only girl. I suspected she wasn't looking back for me the way I was looking for her. God please protect her. I love her so dearly!

The tears haven't flowed openly yet; David has kept me busy. We played a lot in the playroom and then went to his hair cut. He insisted that I take his picture. The boy has seen me follow his sister around with the camera all week now. He wanted his turn.

P.S. On the second day of school, Rachel's teacher sent home a note for me to sign so that we know she needs to work on "Raising her hand vs. Calling out." Amazingly enough, she still brought home a good behavior reward from the Friday Treasure Box. Hum??