Kylie steps up
I am the mother of a first grader. There was no ceremony or celebration for the parents, just a "step-up" day for the children where they got to visit their new teacher and meet their classmates for the upcoming school year. It's probably just as well. As someone who cried at the Kindergarten spring sing and Kylie's dance recital, I'm sure a Kindy graduation would have pushed me right over the edge. My little girl is growing up.
I know this progression from Kindergarten to first grade is but one small milestone in her young life, but I also know how quickly the other milestones will come. As the youngest of four children I am blessed with nephews and nieces who have shown me how fast children grow. In the past two years I have watched both of my nephews graduate from high school. It seems like just yesterday they were little squirts playing little league and saying "blech" at the mere mention of girls. Now Christopher is entering his junior year at Maine Maritime Academy and spending his summer working on a ship running between Tampa and Houston (and no doubt desperately missing Heidi, his girlfriend of two years), and Ross is anxiously awaiting the end of summer so he can head off to his freshman year at Springfield. As for the girls, the Barbies have been retired and boys no longer have "cooties". Ashley has just hit the "sweet sixteen" mark (and she is!) and received as a gift from her parents her first car. Watching her is like peeking through the looking glass at what Kylie will look like in ten years. Seeing them both dance in the recital this year it was more obvious than ever that Kylie is truly a mini version of Ashley, much like Ashley was a mini version of me. Kayla is entering eighth grade, which means that in a little less than a year there will be another graduation to cry through, as Kayla leaves her junior high days behind.
Having observed and participated in the on-going journey from childhood to adulthood with Christopher, Ross, Ashley, and Kayla, I know that in the blink of an eye my children will be grown. That's why the tears flowed when I watched Ross march down the aisle to "Pomp and Circumstance", and when I watched Ashley dance on the stage for the twelfth year in a row. My eyes were seeing Ross and Ashley, but my heart was seeing Kylie, Phillip, and even Bella. It will be their turn before I know it, and long before I'm ready.
I know this progression from Kindergarten to first grade is but one small milestone in her young life, but I also know how quickly the other milestones will come. As the youngest of four children I am blessed with nephews and nieces who have shown me how fast children grow. In the past two years I have watched both of my nephews graduate from high school. It seems like just yesterday they were little squirts playing little league and saying "blech" at the mere mention of girls. Now Christopher is entering his junior year at Maine Maritime Academy and spending his summer working on a ship running between Tampa and Houston (and no doubt desperately missing Heidi, his girlfriend of two years), and Ross is anxiously awaiting the end of summer so he can head off to his freshman year at Springfield. As for the girls, the Barbies have been retired and boys no longer have "cooties". Ashley has just hit the "sweet sixteen" mark (and she is!) and received as a gift from her parents her first car. Watching her is like peeking through the looking glass at what Kylie will look like in ten years. Seeing them both dance in the recital this year it was more obvious than ever that Kylie is truly a mini version of Ashley, much like Ashley was a mini version of me. Kayla is entering eighth grade, which means that in a little less than a year there will be another graduation to cry through, as Kayla leaves her junior high days behind.
Having observed and participated in the on-going journey from childhood to adulthood with Christopher, Ross, Ashley, and Kayla, I know that in the blink of an eye my children will be grown. That's why the tears flowed when I watched Ross march down the aisle to "Pomp and Circumstance", and when I watched Ashley dance on the stage for the twelfth year in a row. My eyes were seeing Ross and Ashley, but my heart was seeing Kylie, Phillip, and even Bella. It will be their turn before I know it, and long before I'm ready.
posted by Edie @ 12:00 PM
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