PreK Here He Comes!!!

Yesterday, I had a moment!  A moment of joy, filled w/ tears, as I watched Colin finalize his 1st year of preschool.  This year has been, overall, a great year for him.  He's come so far and has learned a lot.  I wasn't sure how this year would pan out, but looking back, he truly has accomplished a bunch of things.  I didn't want to send him, I truly hated that I needed to, but I know deep down it was the best decision made for him.  As I sat, waiting for the program to begin, a whirlwind of emotions came over me.  I had no idea how he would react to the filled parlor, but I sat looking around at other parents excited to see their child and wondered if they felt the same?  Did they have the anxiety I felt, knowing that it probably wasn't going to turn out the way I hoped?  I smiled, a lot...but, truly inside I was a mess.  Ready to breakdown at any given moment, I just didn't know when.  Thank goodness, Brenton was able to make it, because I needed him there with me yesterday.  Brenton is my calm and in moments like that, where Colin's anxiety gets the best of him, he knows exactly what to do to soothe the situation.  I love him so much for that!  As I looked one last time at the program, I heard them coming, and I waited.....waited to see...waited to hear....and there it was....with a quick look from around the corner, him seeing the crowd, he was done!  In his sweet, little voice "I fine" (that is his I'm overwhelmed statement) Daddy was up to save the day.  I prepare myself for these moments, because truly I don't know what to expect.  I almost felt guilty watching the other kids and thinking, "isn't that how it's supposed to be" to be so excited to come to these events and watch the kids sing, dance, do hand motions, and just be so happy to show us all what they learned?!?!  There was a stained glass window at the very tip of the parlor where we sat that had a picture of Jesus and I found myself staring at it and quietly praying.....I looked over at my husband who was holding tight to our little boy, that we love dearly, knowing that "our normal" isn't what anybody else in that very room would ever know.  As they finished their songs and Miss Angie passed out their certificates, I watched Colin and smiled so much until his name was called.  When Daddy walked up with him to get his promotion certificate, I lost it!  At that very moment, all of the emotions that I felt at different times during the year, hit me all at once.....as the crowd clapped for my little man, I was wiping my tears.  Those tears of accomplishment for the little boy who has come so far.  The little boy that calls me "mama" and even though he never lifted his head to look at anybody, he knew all eyes were on him, and I couldn't have been any prouder.  Our journey, is definitely a different journey than most, but yesterday I realized that he too accepted the same certificate that all the other kids, who sang so sweetly, who smiled at pictures for their parents, had accepted a few minutes before.  Although, his reaction was "different" he still got the same piece of paper that states he's able to move forward with them into the "big kid" class next year.  Yay for that!!!  My little man did it, he accomplished his 1 year of a "scheduled" school environment and that is huge....we are so proud of you Colin, great job buddy!!!

He DID it!!!

Bye, bye preschool....Here he comes PreK!