Anticipation

On Friday we had the opportunity to tour the elementary school where the Tumbleweed will be starting first grade. We have both been eagerly anticipating this day, almost as much as the first day of school!

We did a practice run with our morning school routine before heading to the school. The Tumbleweed did well with her first time waking to an alarm clock and followed the schedule very well. I am hopeful that it always goes smoothly, but I imagine it won't take long before we forget to lay out clothes the night before or run out of the favorite lunch item creating a bottleneck in the plan. Here is the sign I made to hang by her bedroom door to help us all stay on track.


Once we got over to the school, we got a tour from our MOMS Club friends and her 1st and 3rd grader who both went to the school last year. She got to see her classroom and sit at her desk! We saw the library, lunchroom, gym, music & art rooms and of course the playground. On our way out, another friend who has the same teacher arrived so we headed back into the school with them. While peeking in the closed classroom door, her teacher spotted us and came over to meet us. I must say, I feel much better having had a chance to speak with the teacher before sending her on her way the first day :)


As I write this on the eve of her first day of elementary school, I am really wishing that I was Samantha Stevens and could twitch my nose and make myself a fly on the wall in her classroom tomorrow. I wonder if she will get lost or know right where to go. I wonder if she will be outgoing and make friends or be shy. I wonder if she will be quiet in class or get in trouble for talking out of turn. I wonder if she will listen to instructions or daydream. I wonder if she will speak up if she needs something or wait for someone to offer help. I wonder if she will feel out of place or fit right in.

It is so hard to know what your child will do when you are not there. Sometimes I look at her and she seems so grown up, and other times I think she seems so young! I hope she is the confident leader that I know her to be elsewhere, but it is so hard to tell what her "place" will be in her class. One thing I do know, it will be a long 7 hours from the time she gets on the bus until I see her again wondering what she is doing at every moment!