I don’t know why…but I cried. Like a baby. When the kids got off the bus yesterday and walked into our “Last Day of School/First Day of Summer” celebration, I cried.
I had spent part of the day getting ready…making cupcakes (Did you know I’m famous for my “from scratch” cupcakes? Well now you do!), setting the table with crazy straws, popping popcorn, getting out the bubbles and fireworks, drawing signs on the driveway, getting the finish line ready…and keeping my fingers crossed the rain would hold off (it didn’t).
And the whole time I am thinking about how this has been “A Great Year” for us. The kids both had outstanding teachers; they made new friends and cemented old friendships; they grew into their teeth finally; they grew up a whole bunch in fact. That’s when I got emotional. Thinking about how, when you start 2nd grade, you’re still pretty little when you think about it. But now? 3rd graders? That’s pretty grown up.
I wanted them to know how much pride I have for them; I wanted them to know that I appreciated and recognized all of their hard work this year; I wanted to them to know how much I love them…and miss them while they’re gone.
She got home first. I couldn’t help but smile and think about how awesome it is to see her get off the bus without my help. How I just wanted to burst when the bus aide said “I hope I get her again next year!” And, of course, how grown up she seems these days.
She couldn’t wait to get inside and take off her shoes and watch “a show” as she says. Forget cupcakes and fireworks; she wanted her bed.
Then the Big Guy arrived home. I couldn’t help thinking if next year would be the year when all of this fanfare would no longer be allowed because it would be embarassing. I loved watching him try not to smile as he read the signs…and then watch the smile finally escape as he read them.
He ate two cupcakes (of course I said yes to that today!) and promptly declared that I make the best cupcakes in town and these were “my best to date”. I love feeding this kid. He then ran outside to start with the fireworks as any 8-year-old boy would.
And we always have at least one extra kid over to play…this is Gabe’s best buddy. I think they’re joined at the hip. They get the shakes when they’re not playing together. They did sparklers and pop-its and bubbles. It made me smile that they’re not too old for bubbles yet. And that they’re not too cool to enjoy it…and to include Matthew.
And all the while my heart was filled to bursting with the happiness of having made it successfully through another school year. The Best One Yet. The one that will be used as the standard for years to come. And it made me smile to think that I had a part in it too. And that hopefully, one day, they’ll look back at pictures or blog posts and realize that everything I do is for them and everything I do is to make their hearts burst with happiness too.
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