New Beginnings............

Today was the first day of the new school year. Today, Rachel returned to Lincoln Avenue Academy for the third year...the THIRD year...seriously???? I can hardly believe she is now in second grade. She is growing up faster than my eyes can keep watch on her. It is so cliche sounding , but it really seems like just yesterday she was born! And now......woooooosh...... like through a time warp....it is second grade!!!!

I am so proud of her for all of the reasons I normally am...but TODAY....she took on a new role. Big sister at school to JT!!!!!!!!!!!!! She was giving him all the ins and outs to know about the school over their breakfast chat, followed by what he would find on the menu for the Kindergarten sendoff and finally by sweetly taking him by his hand and making sure he got to the car at dismissal. She loves him. She protects him. She looks out for him. She lived up to everything I ever believed she would do.......and then some!

JT first let his Kindergarten teacher know that "I actually like the name Joshua more than JT". This was told to her, despite the fact that just four short days ago at orientation, me, his mother, who has been calling him JT most of every day for the last five years, wrote on the index info. card that he LIKES to be called JT. I simply looked on smiling as I snapped another picture! CLICK!!!!!!!!!!!

Then it was off to the cafeteria for his special treat of juice and cinnamon rolls. My tears started flowing at this point. It wasn't like when we sat here with Rachel and I thought, "Well I still have my little one to go home with me." He IS my little one. My baby. SO very hard to believe all this time has passed.

Before I knew it, the doorway had been barricaded by the movable stairs, the sure sign that the students, who were now on stage, would be dismissed to their classrooms soon (see I learned this two years ago with Rachel!). I waved goodbye, blew a kiss and mouthed the words "love you".....having no idea if the look he had my way meant he actually saw me or was simply looking for me through the crowd.

Then that was it. He was gone. I looked at Gary. He looked at me. And all I had at that point was the one thing that has held me up for the last 18 years. I had Gary. I took his hand. We walked out of the cafeteria. And it all began again. We started yet another chapter of this life we have together.

Tonight, I am thankful for new beginnings. Yet, so happy as well to have the surroundings I am continued to be blessed with......love, understanding, faith and a very grateful heart for all of it.