Kindergarten Done

My baby finished Kindergarten this week.



It was a thrill to see her experience a sliver of the world on her own.



And make friendships that have taught her so much and blessed our family as well.



My baby grew up.  She lost 4 bottom teeth.  I told her she must try her best not to lose her top ones because when she does, I will cry.



I'm not ready for her whole mouth to be filled with the too-big-teeth yet.



For the most part, it was a very good school year.  Even the after-school tears were good ones because they helped her learn more about the world, more about Jesus.



Seeing her at school made me realize how different my childhood experiences were from hers.  Funny story:  she noticed that some of the asian girls brought roasted seaweed to school as a snack.  She asked if she could take some to school too.  Unfortunately, she came home crying after that because her caucasian friends made fun of her and looked at her funny for bringing seaweed in her lunch box.  I couldn't stop laughing as I consoled her because I had flashbacks to the days when I was the ONLY asian girl at my school.  I kept hearing, "Suey-Kung-Fuey" in my ear while I wiped away her tears.



I'm so thankful that she felt she could tell us everything about her life outside the walls of our home.  Even though it wouldn't have been my preference to already answer her questions about what a "crush" is, or that her friend had a boyfriend named Justin Beaver, we praised her for telling us everything she was thinking about and experiencing.  It kept her close, even though we had to let her go a little.



Steven Curtis Chapman's song "Cinderella" was on the radio yesterday and yes...I cried.



I couldn't take it anymore, so I switched the station and then I heard J.Lo's "On the Floor".  My tears went away.  It's not really appropriate to cry to that song.



She will be turning 6 in a few weeks.  I'm savoring the fact that she still demands hugs and kisses and cuddles, that she calls me "Mama", that I have to ask her to stop sweating, that she's a Daddy's girl, that she adores her brothers, and that she has a sensitive spirit.   I love that when she's bored, she'll write cards to her teacher and fill the envelope with random trinkets from our house.  I love that she's at an age where she's making real memories that she'll keep in her heart as an adult.



Apparently, she's officially a first-grader now.  But she will always be my first baby.