School Year Wrap-Up

The school year - Hallie's first year of preschool and Will's last year of preschool - has come to an end. The final weeks of school were full of activity, from musical presentations to pool parties to birthday celebratons to graduation ceremonies and receptions.

The end began with the school's annual pool party, which took place on a beautiful but cool-by-Texas-standards day in early May. Hallie, like many other children and adults, felt that the 80-85 degree temperatures weren't warm enough for a pool party, so she spent most of her time wading up to her knees and then lounging on her towel. Will and his buddies braved the water, but then had to sit on the deck wrapped in towels to warm up. Pathetic, I tell you. I went to swim team practice when the temperature outside was 55 degrees.

Next came the end-of-the-year Chapel, during which all of the kids performed two songs: Hosanna Rock and Who is the King of the Jungle.

We blew through Hallie's water day and Will's pizza party...

...and came to land, at the end of the week, on preschool graduation.

The week prior to graduation the four-year-old classes practiced walking into the church sanctuary (where the ceremony was held), finding their places on the stage, performing their musical number, lining up for the diploma presentation, and walking across the stage. After they'd rehearsed the entire ceremony a couple of times, the 35 or so kids were sitting in the pews, waiting for their teachers to take them back to class. Will's teacher glanced over at him and was surprised to see him sitting silently (not all that common, especially when he's near his buddies) with tears streaming down his cheeks. She asked him what was wrong, to which he answered, "nothing". She asked him what was wrong a few minutes later, when he wasn't near his friends, and he finally confessed that he was just sad about leaving preschool and his teachers. I was subbing that day, so Ms. Nancy came and found me shortly after this discussion to fill me in on what she and Will had talked about. If he'd cried during rehearsal there was a good chance he'd cry during the actual ceremony and then I'd need tissues. Lots of them.

It seemed Will got all of his tears out that day though, because during graduation his eyes were dry. Mine weren't, however.

I honestly can't believe that Will is done - completely done - with preschool and will be heading off to kindergarten in the fall. He's SO, SO ready, but am I? I was ready when he was three, and when he was four, and even right after he turned five. But now? I'm not so sure.

Preschool "Graduation"

At the end of May, Will’s preschool held its annual graduation and end-of-the-year program. While Will didn’t actually graduate from preschool – the kindergarten cut-off date in College Station is September 1st and Will’s birthday is October 4th, therefore he will attend preschool again next year – he did participate in the program, and he did a fantastic job.

All of the kids (one 18-month-old class, three two-year-old classes, three three-year-old classes, and three four-year-old classes) filed into the church singing “This Little Light of Mine” and holding up their pointer fingers up like little candles. The 18-month-olds cried and the two-year-olds wandered, but the three- and four-year-olds were FOCUSED. You could see their little minds working so hard – trying to stay perfectly in line behind the child in front of them, remember the words to the song, and hold their fingers like perfect little candles.

Walking in with his candle


Looking for Daddy


After the procession, a welcome, and a prayer from the church pastor (Will’s preschool is at Christ United Methodist Church in College Station) each age group performed two songs. The three-year-olds (Will’s group, even though he’s been four for most of the school year – see the kindergarten cut-off mentioned above) sang “Opposites” and “Jesus Loves Me”, both with hand motions/sign language. Thanks to a few very short kids in Will’s class, his class got to stand in the front row, which made it much easier to get pictures of their performance. It was fabulous, and Tom, Hallie, and I were so very proud of Will.

Opposites: "Up and down, up and down, up and down, give a little clap."


Jesus Loves Me: "Yes, Jesus loves me..." (sign language for Jesus)


Jesus Loves Me: "...but He is strong." (sign language for strong)


After the singing performances, the pastor spoke to all of the kids (think commencement address for four-year-olds), and a terrific slide show of pictures taken throughout the year was shown. The younger kids went back to the classrooms, but the four-year-olds actually “graduated” with caps and a walk across the stage – next year that will be Will!

Twinsies and Will

Oh, my girls. My matchy-matchy little girls, with their big hearts and spicy personalities and propensity to march to the beat of their own drums and play by their own rules. I love 'em.

Sara and I planned ahead so that when Grandma Brenda and Lily arrived in College Station, Lily and Hallie were already dressed identically.

During their visit, Grandma and Lily joined us for Will's elementary school's Field Day, Hallie's preschool graduation, Will's elementary school's spirit night at McDonald's, Will's last baseball game, Will's end-of-the-baseball-season wrap-up party, Will's end-of-the-year field trip, and a good friend's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. They also went with Hallie and me on three long walks, to four garage sales, to lunch at Chick-fil-a, and two trips to the park. Needless to say, we all slept well when our heads hit the pillows at night.

Everywhere we went, people assumed Hallie and Lily were sisters, which made sense because even though they look nothing alike, 1) there was only one mom and one grandma with them, 2) Lily looks as much like me (or as much NOT like me) as Hallie does, 3) they have similar personalities, and 4) I dressed them identically every day.

I can't help myself. I loved growing up with a sister, and because neither Hallie nor Lily will every have a sister, my sister Sara and I are trying our best to make sure Hallie and Lily grow up close in relationship, if not in proximity.

And here are a few more of my favorite pics from the four days we spent together.

Will walking Lily into his end-of-the-baseball-season party.

Hallie and Lily brushing and styling each other's hair.

Lily and Grandma at Hallie's preschool graduation.

The girls, waiting on Hallie.

Lily wasn't so sure about Chuck E. Cheese at first.

Dancing near Chuck E. Cheese.

After dancing with Chuck for a while, Lily begged to stand on the
 stage with him. Within five seconds she went from excited and
smiling to screaming her head off. We took a picture before we
rescued her because that's what good grandmas and aunts do.

I love this unstaged-but-appears-to-be-staged antique-y
shot of all three kiddos in an actual antique store.

And finally, here's Hallie and Lily - in IL in February -
wearing matching vests that used to belong to Sara and me.

I can't wait to see "The Family E." (I just came up with that familial phrase and plan to use it frequently in the future) in Wisconsin this summer - it's been too long, and Hallie's been itching to dress like twins with someone again.