Psalm 118:24

This is the day the Lord has made
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

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Luccock Park Camp 2011

Ever since joining First United Methodist Church in Billings, we have made it a point to attend the Family Camp at Luccock Park United Methodist Camp in Paradise Valley near Livingston, Montana just outside of Yellowstone National Park. There were not very many people attending the camp from our church this year, but the girls really enjoyed it and Maggie made some new friends and got to see some wildlife.

Maggie's First Day of School, Part 3. The full length video

"My First Day of Kindergarten" (in Maggie's words)

It was so fun & cool. Do you know what we use at nap time? Bean bags! There was a big rock for us to jump off of. Dad, lunch was really good and tomorrow I'm going to bring my own lunch. We carried lunch on a tray and the cafeteria was in the gym. We used the cafeteria of the old gym and I got to use my new shoes!

Two more friends sit at my table but I don't remember their name! At the end of the day Mrs Rodacker gave us a treat and I got an orange tootsie roll that tasted like a pumpkin! A pumpkin, Mom!!

At the end of the day we walked with a teacher to the bus! There were three other kids on the bus. The bus took me to swimming lessons. [Maggie is going to the YMCA for the after school program, which is where she had swimming lessons. She will get to swim there on Fridays.]

My favorite part of today was the playground! My second favorite was the treasure chest! My subject was toys! I liked science but we didn't really do science today.

Kindergarten was the best! I am looking forward to tomorrow!

[Maggie also told me how at recess they took a nature walk outside the playground and Mrs Rodacker took pictures of them. She was exhausted and hungry when I picked her up at the Y. I need to be sure to always have a snack & drink in my car for her! When bedtime rolled around, she went willingly and fell right asleep!]

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First Day of SCHOOL!!! (part 1)

We had a very very exited Maggie on our hands this morning.  We thought we would sleep in, but sleep habits do not break easy.  Rocky & I were up at our usual time, but Maggie woke up not too long after us.  She came and snuggled with me while Rocky showered and then with him while I showered.  Then she decided she wanted to shower (again, she took one last night).  We watched some “Sponge Bob.”  After her shower, we found her dress and Rocky got the camera out. He does a first day of school story every year with a Kindergartner and this year, of course, the story was with Maggie.

He got some video with her and then we went to the kitchen and I made pancakes (her favorite breakfast).  I even made a Mickey Mouse shaped pancake, which turned out pretty good!!  We had so much extra time, but it seems to fly by.  Rocky got more video and then Maggie could stand it no longer!  We decided to take Jessie to daycare first to kill some time.  And were almost late getting to school.  It turned out pretty good, actually as we were able to take Maggie right to her room.  She took her backpack right to her cubby and went directly to her chair (Ms Carol did a good job training her :).  I had to ask her for a high 5 and hug!  In a few minutes, I’m heading back to school to make sure she gets on the Y bus for the afterschool program as she decided she wants to go there today.

I cried, a little. Tears of happiness, tears of pride, and a few tears of sadness – my little girl is growing up.  I can’t wait to hear all about her first day at school!

Goodbye Preschool

Today was Maggie’s last day at daycare/preschool. It was harder to drop her off than I had expected it to be. I didn’t cry [though I completely expect to tomorrow]. We read one last story at drop off – that was something we started when we moved here from Virginia to help Maggie and I started dropping her off instead of Rocky. Not sure if that helped her or me more. We’ve been practicing our Kindergarten drop off, which will be a high five & a hug. Of course, we’ll have more time together at home before I take her to Kindergarten so we may read a story before we even leave for school.

Last night, Maggie picked out a thank you card for Ms Carol, her Pre-K teacher. She wrote everything but the word “teacher” and had some help spelling. She was a little worried that Ms Carol wasn’t going to be at school today, but I think Ms Carol didn’t want to miss some of her kids’ last day!

Today, we also got to go see Maggie’s new school & Kindergarten room and meet her teacher, Ms. Rodacker. Maggie was so excited about everything in her room, but especially the sink with a drinking fountain – right in her room! It looks like there are only 14 kids in her room. There are 2 Kindergarten classes, so probably around 28 Kindergarteners total.

I’m kind of surprised at how nervous I am about Maggie going to Kindergarten! I know she’s ready and excited [& I’m excited for her as well], but I’m still nervous. Nervous about her making friends, fitting in, yet still being true to who she is; nervous about dropping her off each morning and about her getting on the bus to go to the YMCA for the after school program each day (I’m going over to meet the bus when she gets on tomorrow afternoon, just to be sure). I’m nervous about her academically – will she be bored? will she be challenged?

I’m praying God will watch over her tomorrow. And me!