A journey indeed!

Twas the night before school starting and all through the house...

Okay, okay.   I kid.    This post... it's a bit emotional.    How many times this summer in our book chats did we talk about being real?    How many times did we talk about making connections?    About being our authentic selves.     So here it comes... you might need to grab the tissues.

There's something about our society that makes us stay bottled up and private.   And for a long while, I was.   But it's no secret to anyone who knows me that my babies are my world.    I went through some serious issues with infertility and somehow I ended up blessed with two incredibly healthy children.   If you were a science teacher and I told you what I was dealing with and then showed you my children, your jaw would drop.    Tonight, I find myself thinking about all sorts of things.   Mostly, this journey!

 

First and foremost, many times in life you can go back and think of a teacher.   

That one teacher who made a difference in your life.   Hopefully, a positive one.

I am blessed to be able to say that I've had a phenomenal academic upbringing.   

However, in the case of this post, my teacher was this guy you see.    That's Dr. Pellegrini.   He's my guy.   He's the dude who taught me what on earth was not happening with my body that should be.   There were some crazy long hallways to walk down to get to his office.   And now Elliot walks down a long hallway to kindergarten tomorrow.   

 

That's Elliot in the car seat.    And now look at him... this is last week when we were taking him to the kindergarten bus ride.   This is him saying, "You okay back there, Mommy?"   Um... Mommy needed a minute (or two).

See the cool thing about my relationship with my son is we talk.   About it all.   The big stuff.   The small stuff.   The silly stuff.   I don't sugar coat.   We don't use cute vocabulary.   We keep it real.   We've talked since DAY ONE.   Seriously... look at him.   He's literally minutes old and was cooing away.

And most of all, Elliot and I pray about stuff.   It's pretty awesome praying with your kid.   He's been praying since the day he was born.   Seriously.    Look:

As he got older, he wanted a brother or sister.   He wanted it bad but we never had the heart to tell him that he was it.    We didn't think it could happen.   Even my guy, Dr. P, was uncertain.    But low and behold, it happened unexpectedly.    My heavens how Elliot dreamt of what his brother or sister would be like.   He was very involved with my pregnancy.   He went to appointments, he learned all sorts of cool big brother stuff.   And most of all... we talked.   Here he is talking to me while resting on my very pregnant (about to explode) belly.

Elliot's faith amazes me.   I've always enjoyed our conversations.   As he gets older, it's been especially neat to reflect back on how far we all have come in our family.    I can't help but get emotional thinking about him going to kindergarten tomorrow.   I wonder if this is something all moms go through and is it intensified for teacher moms.  

In the photo below I was 34 weeks pregnant (left) and here I am at age 35 and he's off to kindergarten.   The photo on the left has his name, written by his Daddy.   The photo on the right is him standing by his name... that he wrote.   Today he spent time at the beach with us.   All four of us.  It was so cool hearing him speak to his little sister about kindergarten, and how things are going to change a little bit.   So mature.   Slow down, my son, I'm not ready just yet...

Tomorrow is the day.    I'll be entering my classroom, year 13.    He'll be entering his classroom - kindergarten.  

I was able to watch Elliot enjoy the ocean today.     At the same time, I was able to formally introduce Nora to the ocean.   My husband was able to use one of his apps to design this photo:

Tonight, when we got home, he went to bed with "Ready Confetti" under his pillow.   His kindergarten teacher seems like a cool cat.    He's super excited and he finds it super cool that his teacher has a cat and the cat is named Nora.   I can't wait to talk to him about how his day went.   I can't wait to see the photos his Daddy will send me of him getting on the bus.  






Just like the ocean is filled with adventure and possibilities, so is Elliot's future.  
I am so excited to be on this journey with him.   Enjoy every minute, my sweet boy.   Listen to your teacher.   Ask questions when you are confused.   Demonstrate kindness always.   And above all else, know that I am forever in your corner cheering you on.   Walk confidently into your first ever classroom...   Pick up your pencil and know that you can do anything you set your mind to.   I love you!