Lots of big things going on over here in my little corner of the world. I’m going to start with Owen’s preschool graduation because it was the most recent event and it’s currently what’s on my mind.
Yesterday Owen “graduated” from preschool with a little ceremony. The kids said a group prayer, sang some songs, got up in front and told everyone their name and what they want to be when they grow up. The class even walked in to Pomp & Circumstance. It doesn’t get anymore official than that.
Owen showed a great deal of enthusiasm throughout the ceremony. He narrated the entire class slideshow by yelling out the name of each child featured. My introverted self was mentally willing him to be quiet, but I have to realize that just because I want to blend into the crowd, doesn’t mean my son will blend in or even want to blend in. I am not him. It’s good realize our differences so I don’t get hung up on trying to make my kids representations of me. They are not.
The graduation celebration ended with bounce houses, snow cones and cotton candy in the gym. The preschoolers went wild with excitement. It was fun to see them all running amok together. There were lots of photo opportunities and hugs and congratulations shared.
For part of Owen’s preschool class, today is their last day of school. There is an option to stay in school until June 13th which we decided would be a good fit for Owen since he loves school so much. However, part of the class will be gone now, including his two best buddies. I’m not sure if he’ll want to continue through the 13th with the classroom dynamic changing. I took a “last day of school” picture today, just to be safe. We’ll see how things pan out.
Monday is Owen’s kindergarten screening. I’m unsure of what to expect even though I’ve done some research with friends. Seems like different schools do different things for kindergarten screening. The answers I got varied considerably. I’ll be intrigued to see how things go. This whole kindergarten scene is new to me. I feel like I’m on a wild ride right alongside Owen.
I’ve been so focused on kindergarten readiness that it only recently dawned on me that Owen’s preschool years are finished. I think the graduation mixed with his best buddies moving on to a different school district made me more aware of how this current season is ending. I will admit that I am sad. While I am so excited for my big kid to take on kindergarten, I am sad that things are changing. Our schedule will be different next year. His friends will be different next year. A whole chapter of his childhood is ending and a new blank page is set and ready to unfold.
I saw an article shared on Facebook that said something along the lines of “I don’t want more kids, I just want more time with the kids that I have.” I didn’t read the article, but the statement resonated with me. I wish I could hit pause on this season where I have preschoolers. While I’ve dreamed of the days of having school aged kids so I could reclaim my life, I’ve found great joy through the preschool years. I’ve loved watching Owen learn and grow. I’ve loved nap time and flexible schedules and play dates. It’s been a good season. I feel the need to honor it and bless it for what it was. The next season might be even better than I can imagine (I hope so), but for now I will acknowledge the sadness mixed with gratitude that I feel for this ending.
Okay… on to the biggest BBQ ever. I mentioned in my last post that we were hosting a BBQ for my MOPS & MOMSnext group on Memorial Day. If everyone who RSVP’d showed up, we would of had 90 guests at our house. As it stands, I believe we had 77 people at our home on Monday. The weather was great which meant we were able to put our yard to good use. We had stations set up all over the yard for games and water play. Our long driveway worked well for parking all the vehicles without incident. If I was ever curious how many people we could host at our house, I now know we can host 80 comfortably (outside). I was nervous about preparing for 90 guests and then having no one show up. I figured that we were set with yard play and enough hamburgers/hot dogs to last us the summer. Even if no one showed up, we would have used all the items we bought in preparation of the event.
Now that Memorial Day & Preschool Graduation are behind us, we are looking forward to summer. I’ll be wrapping up my current MOPS & MOMSnext year by the middle of June. I want to finish strong so I’ll be focusing intently on this group while I continue to prepare for the new year ahead. The role of a MOPS coordinator really means I have no summer break from leadership. I’m already getting next year’s team lined up. We’ll have a leadership retreat at my house in July which also needs my attention. We’ll also have summer play dates each month. The first one is at the end of June. We’ll be having ice cream while playing at the church playground. Good times ahead.
It feels like summer is officially here. If my kids are home and awake, they are outside. Owen was given some sidewalk chalk by his teachers and he is excited to put it to good use today. We have bubbles galore on the back deck and plenty of space to run and play. Not to mention, we have chickens to check on and treats to feed them. We are ready for what’s next and excited for the future. Especially the immediate future – hopefully filled with lots of summer fun and family memories to be made!
Play date and dinner with the cousins over the holiday weekend.
Good old PNW tree huggers
Add bubbles and it’s instant summer time vibes!
Our MOPS & MOMSnext BBQ!
Flowers from a lovely friend!
Graduation Day!
Owen’s diploma and picture scrapbook
My sweet preschooler!
Owen and his buddies! The three amigos! I’m so grateful that Owen had such wonderful friends to spend this school year with. They will be missed! Luckily, we have a summer of play dates to keep the fun going.
Amy Scott's Thoughts 