Starting school

Last year at school orientation, Holly made a countdown chain.  The idea was that she tore off a link a day between Christmas and when school started on 3rd Feb.  This was a great visual reminder of how close the start of school was.  The chain seemed so very long at Christmas (I wish I took a photo), but of course shrunk very rapidly, until we were left with just one link the day before...

... and then it was the day!  She was so very excited.  She proudly put her school uniform and shoes on, and kept checking how long it was til we were going to leave.  I watched her with an overflowing heart.  Thankful.  Joyful.  Excited.  Sad.  Anxious.  Proud.  Overflowing with love for my little girl.

As we got out of the car and walked up the hill to school, she gradually got slower and slower.  She told me she was starting to feel a little bit scared, but that she was still excited.  (She's pretty good at processing her emotions.)  I told her that's normal.  And we kept walking slowly.

When it came to that moment of separation, she clung on a bit, but eventually let go without any tears.  The only tears were from me, but I hastily put my sunglasses on, and made sure she didn't notice!

That first day felt so very long to me.  I hadn't really realised just how big a deal it is to send a child to big school.  It was wonderful to see her smiling face at 3 o'clock, and to hear that her day was great (even if I didn't get to hear many details!).