Kindergarten for Madelyn/ The psych ward for Mommy

Ok, maybe not the psych ward but maybe a counselors office instead?? Tomorrow is the BIG day. I am not sure I can handle this. My baby, my sweet, precious, adorable, smart, friendly, funny, silly, kind, big hearted, did I say precious?, baby is leaving the nest. She is going to KINDERGARTEN. Ok, so it is less than a mile from our nest, but to me it seems like half way around the world. I know every mom has a hard time with this new chapter in their children's lives, but that does not make me feel any better about it. Oh, I know this sounds like such an over exaggeration. I will look back on this some day and laugh at myself.

So I posted awhile back about how we, or should I say I, was on the fence about homeschooling Madelyn. It seriously made me sick thinking and stressing about it all summer. At the end of June I told Jarrett that he just needed to make this decision because I couldn't. I can totally see the positives to both options. So after like a milli second after I said that to him, he told me she was going to school. I cried like a baby for the next couple of days. I keep telling myself, "I am being submissive, I am being submissive!!!" I will trust his decision for our family, but I will be honest it is hard.

I am happy and excited for Madelyn yet sad and nervous all at the same time. It didn't help that the school handbook said," Due to the increased violence in elementary schools...". I about pulled her out right then. It freaks me out that she will be with this "other women" more hours during the day than with me.

When I went into Madelyn's room this morning, she started crying and said she didn't need to go to kindergarten because there was homework that would be too hard, no babies to play with and no snacks to eat. I comforted her and reassured her that she was going to be fine. Yet on the inside I was DYING! I wanted to do what any self respecting mother would do and tell her that she can just stay home with her mommy and not go to that evil place that doesn't let you play with baby dolls. But I resisted temptation.

So today I took her to "meet the teacher." I have been praying since June that God would place in her just the right class with just the right teacher. So now my job is to trust HIM. Madelyn knew four other kids in her class which made us both feel better. (No surprise, she knows more people in this town than we do.) She loved her teacher and her classroom, especially the computers and kitchen area. Nathan just stood next to the CD player listening to some cute songs which he later recited to us. I wish I had his memory. It is pretty darn incredible!!

Ok, one funny Nathan story. While I was signing up for the PTA, Nathan walked around the table and stood right next to the PTA lady and told her that he knows all about personal space.

She said, "Ohh, that's great!"
Nathan, "Yea, you have your bubble, and I have mine. If I get too close I will pop your bubble."

I was cracking up!! I guess social therapy is helping. (for those of you that don't know Nathan has "autistic tendencies" I think most of the time his tendencies are pretty funny!

Jarrett just told me that if I can't hold it together tomorrow morning that I was not allowed inside the school, oh pray for me!