This day...five years in the making

Today River started Kindergarten...
along with 14,000 other kids in Utah I realize.
But today was River's day.

Every year River stands at the bus stop in her robe like a good little housewife waving goodbye to our older kids.

Every year she participates in the night before school fashion show wearing
her old hand-me-downs.

River inherited Lauren's old backpack, and has had it ready since 2005.

Every odd Halloween pencil or Easter bunny ruler was filed away in the backpack and re-organized almost daily.

So there we were today.

Standing at the door of her classroom.

Her big moment was also my big moment.

I tend to get sentimental and was trying to make something monumental of the moment....
I could feel my own tears just within reach.

So as I fumbled for the camera, making small talk with other moms,
I looked around and she was gone.

I peeked in the room and there she was sitting quietly and contently in her chair at the Red table.



I wanted to get mad at her for being in such a hurry.
"Quit being so ready to grow up!" I should've shouted.
"school lunch and homework are so overrated!"
"stay home with me still and we will watch YouTube videos together."


Well, we worry and cry when they grow up...
I suppose we would do the same if they didn't.