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.