The Bittersweet First Day of Kindergarten

You see this super sweet boy here:

Well, he just finished his first full week of Kindergarten.  Will was made for Kindergarten.  He is so smart, he just absorbs all information around him. He is so sweet, a Kindergarten teacher's dream.  And my house is so quiet without him around all day.  He was so excited to start Kindergarten and be at the same school with is big brother. 

Sending him off to a full day of school has caused anxiety.  Not just because I miss him so much, but because of his food allergies.  Particularly the peanut butter.  Will's allergist said he did not have to have a peanut free room now and that brings all sorts of crazy scenes of horrible reactions to my mind.  And it forces me to hand my precious boy over into the protective arms of an all powerful and infinitely loving God.  I full admit that I have control issues.  Managing Will's food allergies feeds into that need to supervise, and now, I have to let go a little more.  I have to trust that God's love for him is even greater than my own - which is so much I can't imagine how there could be more love.  Yet God's protection is all we have anyway.  Even I am just a delivery system of God protecting my Sweet William.  So, I again stand humbled at how patient God is with my stubbornness and balking.  He gives us situations to gradually let out babies become big kids, to let them be independent of their hovering, smothering, LOVING mothers.

I have loved asking Will how school is going each day when I pick him up.  Every day he's had a good time EXCEPT, "we had to walk so much." If there is one kink in his precious armor, it's that he doesn't like to walk.  Just walking to school in the morning, he huffs and puffs like we're trekking across a barren wasteland.  So, the walking around to lunch and specials, I'm sure, is no less exerting.  But, it makes me giggle every time he talks about all the walking.  In all other ways, he just so enthusiastic.  His teacher seems to appreciate his happy little personality and has given him great notes at the end of each day. 

It's such a bittersweet time, realizing one of your babies is needing you less and less but also realizing your big boy needs you less and less.  He's so different from Carter that I'm excited to see how he navigates this exciting world of elementary school

Post Script:  I started this post a couple of days ago and as life goes, I haven't had much time to finish up.  But I had to add that I spoke to the mother of Will's new school friend.  I mentioned I visited at lunch, and because he has food allergies, I just wanted to scan the crowd and see where the peanut butter was.  I told her I was relieved to see her son had a ham sandwich.  She grinned and said, "Oh he hated peanut butter.  I can't believe it because I eat it all the time but he won't touch it."  I smiled and responded, "Well, it seems like this friendship was meant to be."  So his little buddy hates the stuff that he's so allergic to.  More like a friendship made in heaven.

Diamonds and Caviar

Nathan had to go to Europe on a business trip.  At his old job, he traveled a lot.  And by a lot, I mean he has been to every continent except Antarctica for work.  Usually, he asks if I'd like something from whatever country or city he is visiting which leads to a conversation of what products are famously produced in that area.  For example, when he went to Paris, I asked for some perfume I knew he could only get there.  Or when he went to Belgium I suggested chocolate.  This trip was through FOUR countries:  England, Sweden, Finland, and Norway.  He's been to these countries before, and every time he's gone to Amsterdam, I've casually remarked, "Isn't Amsterdam known for diamonds?"  He always shrugs off my obvious hint and says he's never heard of that.  That has been the exact conversation every time.
"Isn't Amsterdam known for diamond?"
"I've never heard that" (which isn't true after his first trip there as I had clued him into that information already).
"Yes, I'm pretty sure it is."
"Hmm."
Every time.

But Nathan is not a normal person. He's good at surprising you when you least expect it.  So, there's always the hope that he's not really as uninterested in that nugget of information as he is acting.  He loves surprising people with great gifts.

As we lovingly welcomed him back to the Bluegrass, he announced he had surprises for everyone.  And indeed, everyone got something.  Chocolates and humorous foreign oddities.  And then hours after everyone had gotten their little souvenirs and most of us were winding down for the night, he said, "Have you ever had caviar?"  Man, I was getting excited.  "Yes, I have.  Why?"  I just knew he was going to do the ole switcheroo, "Well, Amsterdam is known for caviar but I brought you a DIAMOND!"

He walked in and handed me what looked like a sample size tube of toothpaste that had Caviar written on it with a drawing of a smiling blond-headed boy.
"What is this?"
"Caviar.  Look at it."
"Am I supposed to squeeze this on to my toothbrush?"
"If you want?"
"Do I squeeze it on to toast points?"
"If that is how you like it."
Heaving a deep sigh, "I tell you Amsterdam is known for diamonds and I get caviar in a toothpaste tube?"

"You know, I told the guys I work with, 'Every time I go to Amrsterdam, Nancy says it's known for diamonds.' They said that was quite a hint, and I told them I never realized it was a hint before."

A likely story.  Nice try Mr. Brown.  Nice try.

That's One Small Step....

Just when she started sleeping through the night on a regular basis...  Just when she actually started eating without throwing a fit...  Just when I actually felt rested for the first time in I don't know how long... She goes and starts this:

Untitled from Nancy Brown on Vimeo.