The Graduate

Last Friday my T graduated from preschool. He acted as if it was just another day but sang his sweet heart out during the graduation songs. His grandparents were there. N was able to come (we let him miss school for the morning). And we celebrated afterwards with lunch. 

In true Kristen style, I'm going to turn this post that should be about my child into a post about me.  

 For six years I've been driving to and from this preschool multiple times a week. It's become a part of me as have the people in it. Before finding this school I joined mom groups, tried playdates with people I'd met at parks or gymboree, and mostly I floundered. I was lonely.

I'll never forget touring this preschool. There was just something about it. It was one of the few schools that didn't have author studies, high frequency words, and computer time. It had a different pace and offered a different curriculum. What I didn't know what how much it was going to offer me. 

N's first day

N's first year I met moms that became friends. I learned all the teachers names. I could talk to the director (who welcomes everyone by name every morning) about anything. It didn't happen over night, but naturally. It felt like a sigh of relief. Like a place I belonged. 

 For the past six years I've driven two little guys twenty minutes for this school. I no longer have the little toddlers I dropped off at preschool excited about the playground. As their world changes, so will my world. I won't see the teachers I love, there won't be UNC banter in the hallway, the director won't ask how Chris' job is going, and there won't be after school playground time on warm sunny days with the other moms and kids. I feel a loss. These are the people who traveled with me through babies, deaths, breakdowns, soccer, birthdays, basically through life these past six years.

For me this means next year I'll have to make an effort to maintain these friendships. I'll admit I'm not the best person at sending emails, texts, or calls. I'm lazy when it comes to friendship. Walking down a hallway was easy, it came naturally. We are all busy so being busy in the same places made it easy. Now comes the effort. 

In a couple more years I will be back. There will be a new set of moms and a few I'll know from the past. Hopefully the teachers that have been there for fifteen years will continue and the director too. In a couple years life with be back to the "normal" I know now.

I've mentioned before how much I used to hate the phrase "It takes a village" but honestly this has been one amazing village. The people here love my boys, love me, and love KC. And we love them. My heart hurt on Friday. Partially because my sweet baby is growing up, partially because he is leaving the safety of this sweet school, and partially because I'm leaving the place I've loved and the people I've loved. On the bright side, I know just how awesome KC's school experience will be and how much I'll look forward to returning.