Parenthood

My Kindergarten Heart

Posted on by Ang Anderson

Last week we celebrated Easton’s graduation from pre-school at Trinity.  He has been attending Trinity since he was eighteen months old.  He will be six in a few weeks.  (Six!!?!!) 

I keep asking myself, “Where has the time gone?”.  I knew this day was coming.  I have known for years.  And yet, my heart is still having a hard time letting go.  

My sweet boy.

Oh, I have soaked up every single moment with him and will continue to do so.

But now, it is as if a part of me is not sitting here at my laptop but it is sitting in Mrs. B’s class at Garfield Elementary School.  My heart is at kindergarten.  I took the day off in anticipation of this monumental event.  Because I thought I might be sad.  And I am.  But happy too.  Because Easton is so very excited for Kindergarten. 

He has been talking about it for well over a year, eagerly anticipating the day when he could attend.  We have encountered numerous kindergarten adventures in the books we read at home.  He has been attending pre-school two days a week so he is familiar with the environment.  He attended Kinder Camp two days last week, which most certainly helped ease the transition to the new school for both student and mother alike. 

Last night, I was too excited to sleep.  My mind was reeling with memories of the past and anxiety about the future.  So, I prayed.  As hot tears began to roll down my cheeks, I prayed for blessings at Kindergarten.  For kind hearts, for guidance and protection, and for a great year of learning.  I prayed for the teachers and parents and when I thought of the whole universe and mothers everywhere doing this or having done this, I felt better.  Much better. 

So, it is with an excited heart that I present to you my sweet boy, who now has the new title of (gulp!) Kindergartener.

Is it just me or does he look older in only one week???

I know I have been in various stages of denial throughout the summer.  Click here for proof.

However, I put on my brave mom game face for Easton today and am slowly sliding into acceptance. 

Slowly.

Back to School Blessings to All –

It’s Really Happening

Posted on by Ang Anderson

 

A few weeks ago I was walking through my home away from home, Target (or Targét Boutique if you will), and I nearly had a panic attack as I encountered the seasonal corner.

It was most certainly not a sight for the faint-hearted.

I was shocked.

Devastated.

Heart-broken.

It was hard to believe that my retail friend could injure me by what seemed to be such an alarmingly early display.

Everywhere I looked, there were reminders of a day looming on the horizon.

In aisles and on end caps, I could not take my eyes off of the dreadful items on the shelves.

There were crayons, notebooks, glue, markers, backpacks, calculators and all sorts of… I can barely bring myself to say it…back-to-…*deep breath*…school…supplies. *another deep breath*

 

Oh good Lord! My sweet boy turned five last fall and I knew this day was coming. But already? As if the old-fashioned alarm clock in my head is not ticking loudly enough? I will have to let go. But it pains me so. I have been mentally preparing myself for years. I think my only source of strength is Easton himself. He is ready. He is excited. He will be my rock on that fateful day, September 4th, 2012. I will have to steel my heart and put on my game face. I will not shed a tear in his presence. But when he walks into that elementary school, my heart will find a new ache.

I don’t even know if I am really as worried about him as I am about other kids. I’m worried that someone will be mean to him. Someone will say something unkind to him. Someone will hurt him, with words or actions. And the mere thought of that happening is unbearable.

I trust that all we have taught him in the last five plus years will shine and sparkle. It will glisten in the playground sun. He will exude kindness and a sweet heart and his good nature will protect him. His pre-school adventures at Trinity Children’s Center will guide him as he encounters similar situations in kindergarten.

There. I said it. Kindergarten. I know that he will be fine. I just don’t know if I will.

At least I still have 49 days, 10 hours, and 15 minutes.

Desperately trying to reign in the First Day of School for My Baby Jitters –

 

Berry Legacy

Posted on by Ang Anderson

It is officially berry season in the great north woods and our family devotion to the raspberry in particular spans five generations.  It dates back to my great-grandmother Marie Congdon.  She had rows of raspberry brambles that she tended to each summer.  The mere smell of the berry patch brings me back to my six year old self, and I vividly recall the pints of berries resting in her front porch from a summer morning harvest. 

Today, my grandmother JoAnn carries on the tradition just next to where Marie’s berries grew so endlessly.  Each summer since I can remember, I have picked berries.  Now, my children accompany me and my grandma usually joins us to pick a few pints.  After we have thoroughly disengaged the patch from any ripe berries, we head in with our bounty.  Grandma bestows upon us a lovely luncheon feast served with a refreshing glass of iced tea as a reward for our toil in the July heat.  It is always a day I look forward to in our summer adventures. 

 

The fate of our berry harvest is a joy to behold. 

Berries with cream and sugar. 

Cakes. 

Pies. 

Pastries.

Jam. 

Always jam.  (This means that we can delight ourselves in berry goodness all throughout the year.)

I have proudly carried on the tradition in my own garden with seedlings from my grandmother’s patch.  They were transplanted last year and produced berries this year.  (This year!)  If you would have told me long ago that I would get excited about such things, I would have had trouble believing you.  Domesticity was not my strong suit.  I can’t declare with any level of certainty that it is currently my strong suit.  But with a family of my own, somehow these simple pleasures in life – sweet, easy, heirlooms that can be passed down from one generation to the next – have become extremely important. It is funny how drastically motherhood changes you.  It affects you in boundless, crazy, heart bursting ways that you could have never imagined.  It is as if the fate of the universe rests in these devout and delicious endeavors.

Of course, all aspects of the berry legacy were passed down to me and my sister by our own dear mother, which make the legacy that much sweeter.

And all of this takes place because someone simply decided to plant some raspberries. 

Thank you to my mom, grandma, and great-grandma for sharing the berry legacy with us.   

I hope that you are enjoying summer and all the goods that go along with it. 

Actually, I hope you are having a berry, berry good summer. *winks and pops berry in mouth*