Ready For School?

Well, ready or not, it is time to go.

All summer long, especially in those days of being a constant referee between my two "angels," I haven't really been to sad about the thought of Gracie starting a new school year.

She has been excited to go back and has been counting down the days.

I would smile along with her, and hush the voices in the back of my mind regretting that she wasn't returning to Sandy Hook.

But, it wasn't until tonight that I started to get "nerbus" about the idea of sending my little girl back out there.

I don't think I would be this tied up if she weren't starting at a new place.

It is almost like she is doing Kindergarten all over again.

I have to say good bye and worry over if she will get lost, what if she cries, will she make friends.

Deep down I know she will be just fine--but I am a mommy, and I can cry and worry and fret if I want to!

But enough about me.

Gracie is ready!

She pulled the last number off of her school bus countdown calendar I made a few weeks ago. We read the entire last kindergarten Junie B. Jones book (so they can start first grade together of course!), her clothes are laid out for the first week, and her lunch box is in the kitchen ready to be packed.

I tucked her in and gave her extra kisses.
This did not help her excitement and it took a very long time for her to finally fall asleep.

And now mommy is left with the final "before the first day of school" tasks.
I plan to finish sewing her dress and iron it. I need to make her a new hugs & kisses bag.

I have made her one each school year since her first year in preschool. I told her it had hugs and kisses from mommy inside and it will stay in her backpack just in case she ever needs one. The tissues inside are covered in mommy hugs and kisses.

I also have to pack her lunch. But she wants peanut butter and jelly for a sandwich, so I think that will wait until morning.

Then maybe mommy will try to sleep--but I somehow doubt I will be getting that much shut-eye.

Ready or not First Grade, here Gracie comes!