My sweet S….a was put through the ringer in 2010. Change is hard for her and she went through more changes then any four year should have to endure. By the end of the year she had not only survived these changes she had conquered them. She learned that she can do hard things, have fun and be happy. I was so relieved and was looking forward to these next few months before summer came for us to enjoy our comfortable routine and be free from the constant worry. But as I have learned time and time again it is when we are most comfortable that the Lord reminds us that we have to keep moving forward or else risk falling behind.
It came to me that just being happy and comfortable was not enough for her. The fall would bring full day Kindergarten and if we didn’t use this time well S…a would not be ready. She needed more practice dealing with change. She needed to continue learning how to adapt and find joy in her ever changing world. So with a sigh and a heart full of hopeful determination I set out to discover what the next step would be. I felt the best thing for her would be an academic based, structured pre-school program. Finding one that was affordable, had an opening in the middle of the year and had school hours on the specific days I wanted was like asking for a miracle. Yet I knew the Lord had a plan laid out for S…a’s success and if I was determined I would find it.
It took a few days of searching, dozens of phone calls and a recommendation from a friend get our miracle. The phone conversation I had with the director of Triumphant Lutheran Pre-School was inspired and the minute I got off the phone we headed straight over to the school and signed S…a up. She was able to meet her teacher and even though S..a did not utter a word I knew right away that Miss Jaylene was going to make a big difference in S..a’s life. When we got back in the car S..a broke down in sobs. This was not going to be easy…when is it ever? I only had forty eight hours before her first day of school in which to prepare her.
We talked a lot about being brave and looked back over the last year at all the amazing things she had done. I helped her understand that it might be scary and hard but it was a new year and she was turning five! She was a growing into a big girl like her sister and she could do this. She latched onto that idea and with a spark of excitement she told me that she wanted to be big and needed a school uniform just like J…h if she was going to go to a real school. We went to the Target and picked out two pairs of pants- the first S…a has ever picked for herself- and some new tops. She even got a big girl back pack. It was so exciting.
The first day of school came and dressed in her “uniform” she walked right into her new classroom, set her things in her cubby and settled into her seat with out a tear. I could tell she was scared but determined to be brave. When I picked her up she greeted me with a smile and a hug that erased all my worries. On that first day she had made a new friend, written her name all by herself and conquered her fears.
