Big Day!

Yesterday was a huge day in our house!

First, it was Jackson's last day of pre-K.  I had been looking forward to this day for a while!  I am really excited about having both of my kids at home together for the summer.  We made a paper chain and hung it from the doorframe in our kitchen to count down the days til the end of school.  We took a link off the chain every day when he came home from school until finally we were down the one last link!!

As I waited in line to pick him up, I was surprised to find that my excitment was mixed with a little sadness.  Partly because I didn't feel like I had any closure with his teachers and friends at school.  I have really gotten to know them through my weekly volunteering.  I'm so glad that Jackson will be in Ms. McCoy and Mrs. Welborn's class again next year!

But part of my sadness was that very familiar sad-mixed-with-happy feeling that I get each time one of my kids hits an important milestone;  they're growing up.  I was trying to tell Jackson about this feeling, and he asked very innocently, "Why are you sad that I'm growing up?"  Good question.  I don't know why it's sad.  I guess I just love each stage they go through so much that I miss it when it's gone.  Good thing there's plenty to look forward to!  It didn't help my emotional state when Jackson climbed in the car with a very sad look on his face and through tears announced that his best friend in school was moving to a different school next year.  He was heartbroken.  That was all the excuse I needed to let my tears come, too.  I just hugged him and told him that I would try to see if they could play together this summer. 

We both started feeling better on the way home.  Then Jackson really cheered up when he found a special "you just finished pre-K" present waiting on him at home: a Leapster!  (you know me...it was purchased at a consignment sale)  He wanted to start playing it immediately, and I've already had to put some limits on his time with it!  I'm so glad he loves it!  =)

After some outside playtime and a special last-day-of-school-is-a-great-excuse-for-ice-cream-cake snack, it was time to get ready for Tae Kwon Do.  Jackson was testing for his yellow belt.  Well, it wasn't a true yellow belt.  He won't start getting solid-color "real" belts until he moves out of the Little Dragons class, which I think happens when he turns 6.  But it was real enough for Jackson!  He had to demonstrate all his blocks, kicks, and punches as well as perform two different combinations of skills.  I was so proud of him!  He really seems to like Tae Kwon Do and I think it has added some tenacity to his personality. 

Yellow belt around his waist, we jumped in the car, changed his clothes, ran through the Subway drive-thru and were off to Party on the Plank, High Point's version of Live After Five.  This is the Party's first year, and our church volunteered to host the kids' play area for the first 3 weeks.  So, although mommy and daddy were working, Jackson and Selah couldn't have been happier to tag along since that meant 2 hours of playtime on an inflatable slide and bounce house.  Side note:  I was holding Selah while policing the end of the inflatable slide.  After every person slid she would announce "Selah's turn!"  Before the end of the night I did take her down the slide 3 times.  She loved it!

Finally we put our exhausted, sweaty kids in the car and headed home.  When I was putting Jackson to bed he thanked me for all his special surprises and declared it a great day!  It makes it so easy to give him special treats when he's so thankful for them.  Even today when he was eating another slice of ice-cream cake he said, "Mom, thank you for making this ice-cream cake.  I know it took you a lot of work!"  Worth it, buddy! 

Let summer break begin!