A High School Graduation Letter to my baby...

Earlier this week, my daughter asked me to run an errand with her.  She needed a new pair of shoes.  Now I have been buying various pairs of shoes for four kids for countless numbers of years.  Everything from soccer cleats to running shoes, tap shoes to prom shoes.  When I think of the number of pairs of shoes, the number must be in the hundreds if not thousands...but these shoes caused me to reflect.


You see these shoes are to be worn at her high school graduation.  And she is my baby...the youngest of four.  And so I paused to think about all of those shoes!  The white high top baby shoes that helped them all learn to walk, and supported them as they attempted those precious first few steps.  Sandals that kept their feet cool in summer months and winter boots that protected them from our fierce midwestern winters as they walked to school.  Wellies for the rainy weather in London during our brief but amazing year abroad.  Sport shoes of every size and color--soccer, baseball, football, basketball, lacrosse, running, and dancing.  Boots for horseback riding, Sneakers for cheerleading,  Dress shoes for church, or at least a clean pair in good repair (a mom can hope), and of course flip flops for the beach or pool.


But these shoes needed to be different.  She was asking for platform shoes, because her graduation is to be held on the football field of her high school.  She needs platform shoes to support her as she makes her way across the grass and up to the stage to accept that diploma.  No girl would want to be sinking into the soft spring lawn on spiky heels as she is carefully stepping into her future.  So stylish platform shoes are the perfect shoe solution.  And I am here to serve it up, one last time.  I am here to go with her and help her and guide her, just as I always have been.  But I know these times are precious and few.  I recognize that soon she will be leaving me for her new life in college, where she will make her own decisions and run her own errands and pick out her own shoes.  So Claire, this post is for you:


Dearest Claire:
 (aka Mcgee, Claire Bear, Baby, Coo Coo, and all of your other silly names)

Your dad and I, and sisters and brother realize you are all grown up--our baby is now a young woman, and you have done us proud!  You are beautiful, kind, smart, hardworking, funny,  and have incredible insight.  Your love for your friends, family, grandparents, dogs, horses, pickup trucks and the outdoors has touched us all.  Your ability to make us laugh, and remember to enjoy the simple pleasures in life is unparalleled.  We all know that petting your dog, or looking at the stars or sharing a breakfast with your dad at Corner Bakery give you immense joy.  This has taught us all to be better people by reminding us what is truly important.  You have a talent for finding and keeping amazing friends, and an ability to work hard and accomplish goals that others might have never attempted.  

Your dad and I hope that you will forever think of us as your new shoes--Platforms, that are here to support you in every way as you walk through life with confidence, on your path to wherever life leads you.  You are such a blessing to us and to everyone in your life.  Enjoy these next few days, and relax in the knowledge that God has a plan for you, and it is guaranteed to be beautiful, just like you.

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A Letter to our Preschool Students!

Dear Sweet Five-year Olds:

Not too very long ago, when you were mostly 4 and a half, it began. Miss Julie and I put the final touches on our colorful and cosy room; books were in the book corner, your beloved Legos stored neatly in the drawers, yellow pencils with bright orange erasures waited to be held in your little hands, colorful scissors waited to be pinched between your fingers.

"Make the scissors bite like a shark" we would remind you throughout the year.  "Go choose a book from the book corner" or "let's all work together to clean up our room!"  The echoes of our incredible year together keep bouncing through my mind.

Miss  Julie and I were so eager to meet you and begin our journey together. We had so much to teach you, and the year stretched ahead like a ribbon of highway disappearing in the distance.  So how have we reached the end of our year so quickly?

You have been the most incredible group of students.  You have challenged and stretched Miss Julie and I more than we ever imagined.  We have learned so much from the twelve of you, much more than we ever expected! 

Your curious minds--Zander, Peter and Owen's questions at circle time about dinosaurs or meteors or carnivores!  Your abilities to grasp BIG ideas--Jack on religion, or Lucia on global awareness.  Your kindness and compassion for one another--Beau, Landon and Veronica, doing all you could to make Ava feel special before she moved away. Your enthusiasm for trying something new--Nathan and Franco, who embraced every learning activity and encouraged others to do them same.  Or your complete ability to live in the moment and fill the room with laughter and kindness--Emily and Ava!  All of your stories and questions and jokes and giggles have filled our room with so much fun and filled our hearts with wonderful memories.

All these lessons we hold dear in our hearts, as we say Goodbye and Thank you.  You all are amazing, bright, compassionate, curious, and wonderful children who will be a gift to your kindergarten teachers and beyond.  Thank you to your dear families for sharing you all with us this year, and know that we are better teachers today because of all of you!

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It is imperative that you give your child this...

Free Time!  Children need free time.  They need time to play.  They need time to go outside.  They need time to interact with other children--siblings and friends. They need time to 
create, 
explore, 
imagine, 
read, 
daydream, 
rest, 
breathe, 
be.

They need free time.  They need to experience boredom and learn to combat it with imagination.

Give your children the gift of free time.  Put the electronics away.  Resist the temptation to sign them up for every club, class and activity.  There is value in free time.  Don't forget this.  You are giving your child a gift if they have some time to just PLAY!
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A Shout Out to my Husband

I teach preschool and when my students get dropped off via the carpool line, memories flash through my mind of all the mornings I spent rushing around getting my four children ready for school--lunches to pack, permission slips to sign, uniforms to wash, calendars to update, dentist appointments to schedule, and on and on and on.  My husband always left for the office on an early train, so this territory was exclusively mine.  

In spite of this, today's blog is a huge thank you to my husband, because even if he was able to escape on that early train, his presence in my life and the lives of our children has allowed me to be the mother and wife that I always wanted to be.  His love and support meant that I didn't have to face parenting alone. He was always prepared to listen and help me sort out an issue I was having with one of our children, and also let me vent when the monotony of being a stay at home mom crept in, or my list of household chores felt overwhelming.  He always affirmed the job I was doing as a mom; and appreciated my efforts to run our household and manage our children's lives.

In working with many single parents over the years in my parenting classes,and it is easy to see how truly difficult it is to parent flying solo.  This has reaffirmed to me how lucky I am to have this man as my husband and my children's father.  He is the rock of our family and his love and encouragement have been the biggest gift in my life.   

If you are in a happy marriage.  Take some time to let your spouse know how much they mean to you.  And let your children know, too.  A family built on the solid foundation of a happy marriage is something to be celebrated and appreciated.

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