Kindergarten. It begins.

So, tomorrow morning, I get to go register Maeve for kindergarten.

I know.

Kindergarten was one of those "in a few years" ideas until January rolled around and I realized that this, right here, was January 2015, the month I would have to register Maeve for Kindergarten.

I mean, I get daily reminders from my daughter that she is NOT A BABY ANYMORE but this is a big one. A really big one. I will be walking her to the elementary school that stands a block and a half from our house every morning, starting this fall. THIS fall. Not three years from now. Not even next year. THIS year. THIS fall. It's starting to feel like THIS MINUTE.

Okay, I'm still taking deep breaths.

I remember, before I started kindergarten, sitting on the front steps of our trailer with my mom. I remember asking her, Will I like kindergarten? And I remember her saying yes, she was sure that I would. And I did, I loved it, even though being away from her was scary and I had a lot of learning to do about other kids and cutting with scissors.

I know Maeve will love kindergarten, and I'm glad she's had a year of preschool to prepare. She will know a few key things that she didn't know before, like using her words when she's upset, not peeking under the bathroom stall, not throwing rocks, waiting her turn. I'm glad she'll know those things, and all the other gems her wonderful preschool teachers have instilled.

And I know that once dropoff becomes a happy time, it makes the whole quiet morning joyful for me, and I will have more time to write, clean, play my ukulele, run errands, and generally get things done. 

But looking at the face of this change is still a little frightening. And looking down the long, dark hallway of homework and friends and bullies and teachers... feels a little overwhelming. I hope so much that she is blessed with the kind of teachers that will help her love school, help her grow into herself, and give her confidence. Oh please, please let her have good teachers. 

I've met her kindergarten teacher and I love her already, so I believe she'll have a solid start, and that counts for a lot. 

Okay. Still breathing.