This morning I took Ava and the boys to see her new kindergarten classroom – WOAH. Deep breath…whew, what a day!
It was probably one of the most exciting days we’ve had this entire summer vacation! Connor was kind enough to help me wake Ava up and get her dressed in what he said is “her most favorit-ist clothes in the whole wide world.” I call it the pink suit: hot pink hello Kitty graphic t-shirt, hot pink hair bow, hot pink Capri tights, pink tutu over the tights, and hot pink gladiator sandles. The only thing NOT pink on my princess was her fingernails. Connor thought those needed to be blue. Blue? Really? REALLY? And what did Connor tell me pinkalicious princesses eat for breakfast on very important days? Pink strawberry Pediasure, of course!
I should mention before the storytelling that our boys have always gone to a small Christian school in the area, so when we pulled into the parking lot of the much larger school that Ava will be attending, they were kind of dumbfounded. “Woah!” Dylan’s jaw dropped. “This school looks like a real school!”
I don’t know why, but that made me laugh so much! I can’t even imagine what kind of school they were expecting her to go to, but to be honest, the realness of it all really began to show once I realized what Dylan did: this year, she’s in big girl school. Soon we were meeting the staff we had not met already, and getting a small tour of the school. The library is much bigger than the one at Dylan and Connor’s school, so they were super impressed. After seeing the books, Connor said a little too loudly and little too seriously, “Ava goes to Hogwarts? Is this REAL?” Then, we finally met Ava’s new teacher. I can already tell you that Ms. Stansbury is going to be an amazing influence in Ava’s life. She brought Ava (and us) into the largest classroom at the end of the hall and showed us the kitchen area, and the large changing table. Note to self: Get Drew to build one for our home! She told us that in case of an accident, the class is equipped with a tub, as well as a washer and dryer. A nurse will be feeding Ava during lunch time. There are eight other “friends” in her class with her this year. Because it’s an art infused school, Ava will be getting art and music therapy daily. She gets to have recess. There are places for each student to hang a backpack. She has her own desk. It’s 100 percent, absolutely, totally, and completely real school. Dylan had it right. =)
Ava took to Ms. Stansbury in no time. She smiled for her, and babbled a little. She showed her the blue fingernails that her brother had painted for her. She looked around her classroom, more excited than I’ve seen her in a very long time. When Ms. Stansbury rolled her to her desk (her very own desk!), she looked at me with the biggest grin to make sure I was seeing everything she was feeling. I have to tell you, days like this validate everything real and good and pure in the little world she and I sometimes hole ourselves up in. When I looked at her in her desk, excited and waving her right hand to answer Ms. Stansbury’s question of which one she preferred to color with, I knew that she was in the very exact place she needs to be to start the newest chapter of her life. The last five years of Ava’s life have flown by, and I know that every mother says that about her child, but what if she gets to graduate from high school? What if she gets to have a 25th birthday? What if she gets to be an aunt one day? Kindergarten is just the start. A very happy, unexpected, welcomed start to a very exciting new life.
Monday morning will be Ava’s first official day. How many of you think I’ll be able to make it the whole morning without crying? I’m pretty sure seeing the uniform on her will do me in! Go, Ava! You made it sweet pea! You’re a big girl now!
Here is Ava at her desk showing Ms. Stansbury which hand she likes to color with.
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