Big things happening for a big girl!
Shew what a week it's been. Big things are happening for our baby and seeing her take it all in with so much excitement is so cool to watch. Ever since Ryleigh entered our lives, we prayed hard for her. We prayed for her health, her future, and for her to grow. As parents, you want nothing more than to freeze time and live in each moment forever, but that's just not feasible, and by doing so, we would miss all the incredible moments that are to come in the future. Once of those incredible moments is about to happen for our little girl as she embarks on a new journey in her life.
You're in! The three emotions to follow...
I honestly wasn't expecting to receive a phone call saying they had a spot for Ryleigh in preschool, but last week I received a call saying, "She's in." So many emotions fled through my heart.
- Shock! Even though I took her to get screened, how is she that big!?
- Excitement! I was excited, because I knew she would be excited. She has been asking to go to school since she could talk. Getting to see the joy and excitement in someone you love's eyes, especially when it's your little one, is an incredible thing.
- Bittersweet sadness! The process of letting go even in small ways of sending your baby to preschool is a hard thing to do! While we want them to grow up to be smart, strong, powerful forces in this world, when we look at them, we still see the little babies we placed on our chest the moments after they were born. We see the baby that we used to snuggle at 2 am while we fed them a bottle. We see them figure out how to do new things and take their first steps and say their first words. Letting go is a beautifully hard process. One side of you feels like you're losing them, and the other side of you is proud of them for growing up. Parenting is weird haha.
To my preschooler,
You've taught me A LOT over the years.
You taught my what true love looks like from the first glimpse of life. You have been a beautiful blessing since the moment you entered this world and have filled my heart in huge incredible ways. I cannot thank God enough for the love you bring into our family and that I get the honor to call you my baby girl.
You've taught me to find the joy in all the little things. I love seeing you take this world in. You see the beauty all around everywhere you go. You never forget to tell the greeters at the store to have a great day. You stop and smell all the little flowers, even the weeds, because they are beautiful things God has made. You take in the clouds and all the many shapes they form. Even when I don't think you are taking something in, I often find out you were. Exampling being at church on Sunday, you were with us during songs, and I look over to you singing the words to the "big people's music"! It's so easy to get into a rush every day, but I am trying to slow down to appreciate all the little joys in life God blesses us with that surround us, because as you remind me, they are everywhere.
You've taught me it's ok to feel all the feelings. As a mom, I often thought I needed to be strong for you. I wanted you to know it's ok to cry and face all the feelings you were feeling, but I still felt like I need to be strong for you, and I couldn't show my feelings. I still remember back before your brother was born, I received some not so great news, and I couldn't keep it in, and I broke down. You dropped everything and held me. My little two-year-old held me in my weakness until I was strong again. You held me and said, "It's ok, I got you Mommy. Don't worry, I am here."
My child, those are only the top three things that popped into my head from what you've taught me over the past three years of your life! I've learned so much more from you, and I know I will learn so many more incredible life lessons from you in the future.
But, before I go any further, I want to say a special prayer for you as you head into this journey of your life... I pray a special blessing on you, Ryleigh, that you are a light in your school and with all your new friends and teacher. I hope you keep being the kid that asks other kids to play with you, the one to help another friend up after they fall, and to speak a kind word to someone to brighten their day. I pray you develop new friendships that you will take for the rest of your life. I pray you learn wonderful things that you will apply to your life in the years ahead of you. I pray for safety, health, and a calming environment within your class. I pray for you to be who you are and to remember the blessing you are. Always remember you are beautiful, smart, cherished, worthy, priceless, and so loved. Thank you God for Ryleigh! Thank you, thank you, thank you for the joy I have because you have blessed us with her.
Have a great school year my sweet girl!
