A New Stage of Life Begins

School starts tomorrow. Our baby starts Kindergarten. Five and a half years ago, we sat in the NICU at UCSF, watching our baby, surrounded by other much sicker babies. I knew then, that Korbin would grow up and be a happy, blessed and healthy boy. And grow UP he has. He definitely got John's genes in height, just like Connor, while Aidan takes more after me. Korbin is tall and skinny, but cute as a button! He is, and always will be, our baby.
I know that there are mothers in this world who look forward to this day in their children's lives. I am not necessarily one of them. It is not that I don't want my children to grow up and experience life and all it has to offer them, because I most certainly want all life has in store for them to come to pass. It's just that there is this part of me who wants to keep my children little for awhile longer. I want to give them so much more to prepare them for the world. And yet, I know that we have done as much as we can and have taught them so much to prepare them for this stage of life, and we will continue to teach and prepare them for each stage of life.
Connor is off to 6th grade. Wow! Where did that time go? He is taller than me and his feet are only a size behind John's. He is ready for a new year of Science and History, and will even put up with Language Arts and Math.
Aidan is off to 4th grade. He is the cutest, freckle faced, blue eyed boy a mom could ask for! He looks a little small next to most of his classmates, but I am banking on a growth spurt to come along soon. He is excited for school to start and even more excited that Math is the first subject of the day.
I must confess, I cry on the first day of school every year. True story. Since I first took Connor to Kindergarten 6 years ago, I have cried when I say good-bye to each of them. I know and trust every teacher and staff member at our school. I love our kids teachers and I know my children are loved and cared for there. I know that we have taught our children and given them the necessary tools to make good and right choices. No matter all of those things, when I leave them at the door, I know that in the next 6-7 hours, I am not there to protect them from any evil or bad thing that may happen.
So, here we are, ready for school to start. Clothes are bought, folded and ready for wear. Everybody has a pair of shoes he likes and a backpack to match his personality; Cars for Korbin, orange for Aidan and black for Connor.
I have been doing some reflecting on the last part of our life and the next stage that begins tomorrow. I know our boys are prepared to take on the world. They have a sanctuary at home, to protect them from the woes of the world. They have parents who love them more than life itself. Not only that, they have grandparents and a great grandma who love them so much! They have aunts and uncles who love them and cousins too. And, they have an Oma, Nana, and Papa in heaven who are watching over them with love. So, while I may cry a lot tomorrow, I will remind myself of the privilege I have of raising these valiant spirits and the unimaginable love and trust that Heavenly Father has for and in John and I, to give us this undeniable blessing!


Never a truer quote have I heard than this:
Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ~Elizabeth Stone~