Preschool Sucess!

It was a sad day, and a good day.  Saying goodbye to friends and reflecting on a wonderful year of preschool.  Beginning this school year was not an easy decision for us, as we are not the best "schoolers" so to speak, but, we took the plunge and as we hoped our little miss preemie pants thrived! Our reasoning behind preschool was to integrate her with other kids and help her mature in her people skills.  Some preemies find it difficult to be a part of a group setting and are just as happy to be off on their own not involving others in what they do.  Knowing it's an essential part of life to be able to get along, we felt the earlier she was in a situation like this the better for her.

She learned so much more than I expected. Actually, it blew my socks off the information she was able to retain.  She is as smart as a whip!  Those neonatologists very likely didn't know what they were talking about when they said she would not be valedictorian or a rocket scientist...evidently they didn't realize how much spunk and determination she has deep within her tiny little self.  We laugh that they said that about her.  We laugh because, we know our God is so much bigger than their silly predictions, and assumptions.  They also told us she it would be very unlikely that she would leave the NICU without surgery.  She did.  They said she wouldn't leave without a G-tube.  She did.  They said she would very likely show signs that her brain had bled at birth or in her first few weeks.  It didn't.  You get where I am going with this.  This girl is amazing.  She's smart, she's loving, she's determined, and she will do anything she puts her mind to.  I am proud to be able to call myself her mama.  She is a gift. She is JOY.  That middle name of hers has been more true than we knew it could be when we were deciding on what her name would be.

I was tearful today, hearing her teacher talk about each one of the 8 precious little ones in their care this school year, and as I watched my little girl give her friends hugs goodbye, I knew without a doubt, we made the right decision to let her do something that was way outside of my comfort zone.  While it was just 2 days a week, it made a strong impact in her life in a very affirming way, for us all.

I am so grateful for this year and how our little girl's personality has just exploded into something so amazing!  Success!

Baby brother was able to join in on the fun one day a week for the last several weeks, to allow Mama to have a moment to do some important things as we have a big transition coming.  It was cold, and rainy this morning, and we found several roads flooding.  It put quite the damper on the last day of school festivities, but it also made for a very special goodbye that would not have been the same had the splash day happened as they had hoped.  Sometimes, our plans must be changed, and good things can come from change that we didn't expect.  :)

It wouldn't be a proper last day of school, without a last day of school picture.  So, without further ado....

 And, a little snippet, caught by accident...

 Any successful picture must start with the perfect cheeeeeeeeeeeese, and I accidentally caught them before the picture.  Love these two sweetie pies.