Pre- K to Kindergarten

Well, well... I've lost an entire year it seems, although it was the most fabulous year yet with this sweet little Miss. I was a public school teacher for 10 years then I came home to be a mom. The best of both world's collided when I had the opportunity to be my daughter's pre-k teacher. It was a year that I could not have scripted better if I tried. She learned so much, I learned so much and together we learned so much about each other. I saw the fruit of my labor as she would come home and show her family all the exciting things that she had learned in school. I drove her every day, we prayed on the way to school every day, just like my mom did with me every school day when I was young. We walked into school together, spent our days together, left together, came home together and honestly, we never had a hiccup along the way as far as the mom role/teacher role collided. It was amazing. It was lovely. It was perfect and now I am wondering where on earth that year went? It's all still a bit of a blur. School was just our daily routine. We did it three days a week at our church preschool. We did it for a year and now that it is over, I wonder if I soaked it all in.

I mean, I loved the days. Every day. But did I love it intentionally? I miss it. I miss it already!

I watched her learn sight words and to spell phonetically, which made my heart jump for joy. She loved her classmates. She loved being the line leader, prayer leader, snack helper. When it was her 5th birthday she dressed so fancy to "celebrate" at school with her friends. I witnessed it all. I learned so much and know with all confidence that she's ready for kindergarten.

Ahhhh, kindergarten. The big ole kindergarten at the big ole school down that big ole hallway! She's ready and that helps me be a little more ready too. Maybe. I guess. I don't know.

But either way she's leaving for forever school in three days. THREE DAYS, y'all. I came to stay home to be her mom three years ago and just like that, it's now her turn to go. Lord please watch over her all of her days. We can do this!

There is very little in this world that I loved like kindergarten. I LOVED being a kindergarten teacher. Really, I did. I love when past students and their parents come back years later and tell me how much they still remember and love their kindergarten year. How it was their best year. I was purposeful in loving their children.

Kindergarten is magical. I mean really, all that they learn socially, emotionally are great, but the little sponge that is a five year old brain, is amazing to watch academically in kindergarten. Kids that come not even knowing how to write their name and leave reading books? I mean that is magical. People who are made to teach kindergarten really are people who can do anything. These are the people who can change the world!

So, here's a transition sentence for you: We went to "Meet the Teacher" at our neighborhood Elementary school last night. We went and met our oldest child, our baby girl, our daughter's kindergarten teacher!

              AND SHE LOVED IT!

NO doubt she was going to. She loves people and loves to play and the classroom was full of people to play with. She meet her teacher, she unpacked her supplies, she looked around and then she found kids to play with in the kitchen center and spent the rest of her time right there, with those kids.

Her teacher asked her if she was nervous and she answered, "NO! I'm excited!" and that was that.

Here's the kicker. I don't know this lady. She's new to the district and new to the school and I'm handing off my daughter to her for the next 10 months!!

So, this is my plea to the lovely, yes lovely, Mrs. FreeLove...

(Let's talk about how much we love this name. Freelove. Free and Love.  Love and Free. We've already told Madison that her teacher gives her love freely to her every day. It's just her. Free - Love. Love for free. Mrs. Freelove. Plus she can spell love, so the excitement when she figured out that she could already spell her teacher's name was just plain ole fun!)

Hello Dear, Sweet,  Precious Mrs. Freelove,

We hope that you have the BEST FIRST DAY EVER! We know that teaching kindergarten is so hard and so special all at the same time. We are so grateful that you have given your life to this profession and have committed yourself to this kindergarten class for the 2016-2017 school year. I am Madison's mom. I promise you that in your presence I will be lovely. However, for the first few weeks I may ugly cry in my car! Just kidding - or maybe serious, we'll shall see after Monday. I only have one request for this school year, please. I want you to fully live out and embrace your name every day as you love on my child. Give her love for free and love her freely, please. I know from experience that everything else in kindergarten will work itself out when that happens. I have hoped and prayed every day since she was born that she would LOVE kindergarten and that she would LOVE her kindergarten teacher. I know that prayer will be answered through you, because I know that it is no accident that she has ended up in your class. It is no accident that you were chosen to be her teacher. God placed her name in your stack of papers on purpose and therefore, I am committed to pray for you each and everyday as you have taken on the task to educate kids that will one day change the world. My kid will. Thank you for teaching her, but most of all thank you for already deciding to love her.

So... Here's to you Mrs. Freelove!! Here's to the BEST YEAR YET!

We are so very grateful for you already. See you Monday.  

Love, The Vaughan Family