The End...

Today marks the end of Second Grade for Emily. Yesterday was the end of Begindergarten for Greg. I am an emotional wreck. Most parents think... Ohhh I can't wait to sleep in, or are just excited to have the kids home for whatever reason. Oh, don't get me wrong. I LOVE having my kids home, but here is how my head works...

Today is the END of Second Grade for Emily. She was 7 when she started, and is now 8. When she was 3, she was in nursery school. She was so terrified that she actually vomited on the A-B-C rug in Mrs. Dunning's room. Since I had to drive her to school, I would talk about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to keep her from dwelling on the fact that we were INDEED heading to school. She was so little. She was still a baby. Today marks the END of Second Grade.

In Kindergarten, Emily blew everyone away by reading the word metamorphosis. To this day, I STILL hear about how blown away parents were at that. Apparently some mom's were helping out in class that day. I was just questioning her teacher from this year about how the MEAP tests are graded (in 3rd grade) and what their meaning is to my child as an individual. Of course, there was one of those mom's who pipped up and said, "YOU'RE worried about how YOUR child is going to do on the MEAP tests? The child that read the word metamorphosis?" Yep. Still in second grade and still hearing about it. She's exceptionally bright. I accredit that to the Mozart effect. I would put classical music on the CD player, put the headphones up to my tummy for Miss Girl and I would watch Wheel of Fortune.

Did I mention that TODAY marks the end of Second Grade? Mom? I wonder if you ever got emotional about your children moving on and growing up? I feel like I'm a basket case. Today is the last day that Emily will ever set foot in the Lower Elementary wing. She is moving to the classrooms by the bigger kids. ;o(

I have been fairly distracted by our preparations for a vacation, so I felt that my emotions were well in check. That is until I walked into Mrs. Smiths room for one last photo of she and Emily together. Mrs. Smith was crying, and that's all it took. She was an AMAZING teacher. I am so relieved that my child finally was able to have a school year that didn't involve constant vomiting and high doses of Prilosec OTC. She was a fun teacher and I LOVED helping her out in her classroom. She would have let me come everyday if I so chose. She loved her parent helpers and really did an amazing job with her students.

As I walked into her room and saw the bare walls, I took one last breath of that classroom smell. Pencil shavings, markers, glue sticks, crayons and paper. The building will be empty. We will get on with it and Mrs. Smith probably already has. Next year, we will start up with great excitement. Plus Mrs. Smith gave us a little tidbit secret... She gave Emily the teacher Emily wanted for next year... Mrs. Fischer. That is unless Mr. Principal changes it. But for now, second grade is over. Things will get more challenging, and Emily will keep studying and throwing out the "wow" factor here and there. I should have bought those awesome lunch boxes I saw at Costco yesterday.....