Brayden and his favorite: oaties. Every.single.morning.
So often in life we place emphasis on 'firsts': first smile, first steps, first food, first day of school, first in the race, first car, first date---you get the point. And while I am not exempt from that, I have more recently begun to think about 'lasts'.
One week ago was Brayden's Last Day of Kindergarten. In a way I was more emotional about his last day than his first--not a big surprise, I know, but admittance is the first step in the recovery proces, right?! As Brayden ate his breakfast I thought about how much he's changed, how much he's stayed the same, the ridiculous amount that he's grown in all regards this past year, all that he has learned, and just how fast time slips by usually without us even realizing.
I spent some time talking with a friend outside the school when the little celebration was over. Her son attended Preschool with Brayden and we have alot in common. Funny thing, she mentioned 'lasts' and how she has a little book for her boy about just that. We laughed together and fought back a few tears together talking about how much change we've seen in the last two years, not just in our kids, but in ourselves as well. We reminisced about the first vs. last day of school. We talked about the upcoming first day of first grade and shed a few more tears. I found myself thinking about my own school experiences and friends I had made over the years. From Middle School onward, we always did something special on the last day of school. A group of us usually walked home and made and shared (while reliving) special memories, celebrations, and excitement for the upcoming summer.
While we tend to emphasize firsts, its often the 'lasts' which hold the lessons of life. The moment of reflection and pause allowing us to grasp how far we've come...and maybe how far we've yet to go.
Prepping for the Celebration Picnic with classmates!
Savannah & Sophia were invited to join the fun!
Savannah telling Brayden how much she loves him--great memory for this Momma =)
With his teacher, Mrs. Miller