Pre-K Graduation

Dear Colton,

Please believe me when I tell you that God speaks to you.  Sometimes it's in a whisper and sometimes He makes things abundantly loud and clear.  It was just 1 year ago that we heard God telling us to take you out of Stephie's house.  We heard him but we didn't understand.  We had it all planned out, you see.  You would stay under her loving, patient wing for another year...then we'd send you to pre-school for a year...and then we'd enroll you in Kindergarten when you turned six.  It was just 1 year ago that I was sobbing on her shoulder as I told her that you wouldn't be returning to her house and that we had the daunting task of finding a school for you.  It was just 1 year ago that we were touring various schools and telling them that we were looking for a 2 year commitment as you wouldn't be starting Kindergarten for a while.

And then August 2014 happened and you marched into Legacy Learning Center without a single sign of trepidation.  Your teacher spoke so highly of you and it wasn't long before you were counting by 2s, writing your full name, and speaking in Spanish!  Everything clicked.  You were where you were supposed to be and you were showing us that you were capable of far more than we'd given you credit for.  

So, when the letter of intent came asking whether or not you'd participate in their graduation ceremonies, we listened to God.  You'll be one of the youngest in your Kindergarten class, but we know you're ready.....thanks to Steph's nurturing and Legacy's rigor.

Graduation was sweet and emotional & I hope I never forget it!

The graduates had their photos decorating the wall under the title When I grow up, I want to be...

You filed into the room one by one and you acted nervous right away...

...but then you started performing the songs you had rehearsed and you shined!

Every graduate was called up to receive their "diploma" and you got the walk across the stage.

The families gathered together for cake and punch afterwards and I worked to maintain my composure.  Now, first day of Kindergarten will probably be another story...

1st grade finale

Dear Jackson,

First grade was a GREAT year for you!  Your teacher's personality meshed really well with yours and you thrived!  Your math skills stayed above the curve and your improvement in other areas was outstanding!  Your handwriting remained impressive although your teacher commented that it needs to be a little smaller.  You grew the most with your reading and spelling.  You entered 1st grade reading at a Level 3 (our district used the Developmental Reading Assessment) and ended the year on a Level 24!  You missed almost every spelling word on the inventory at the beginning of the year but you got almost every word right at the end of the year!

Our end-of-the-year conference with your teacher was both eye-opening and heart-warming.  She filled us in on the fact that you're usually the first done with every task and are quick to ask about what's to come.  She also told us about how organized you are and how you need to have things in their proper place (eye-opener).  But my favorite part was her sharing about your empathy for others and how helpful you always tried to be for one of your classmates who's in a wheelchair.  She said that you get along with everyone and that you work well no matter where she sits you.

School photo, Spring 2015

 The first graders performed an adorable "moosical" to wrap up the school year.  A moment I don't want to forget happened on our way there.  Your dad and brother were finishing up baseball so it was just you and me walking to school together.  As we left home, you jumped in the air and exclaimed, "I'm so excited to be on stage!"  I've seen you play some serious baseball and soccer games but I'd never seen you display enthusiasm like that before!  Precious!

There were just a few speaking parts so I was surprised when you came home with a line to memorize.  I was even more surprised when you later told me that you got a part because you volunteered for it!  I didn't know you had it in you ; )

We celebrated a great performance and an even better year with some frozen yogurt with friends.

We pray for more school years like this one as it was remarkable to see what you could do when in the right setting!

7th Birthday Party

Dearest 7-year-old,

The older you get, the more involved you become in planning your birthday party.  For quite a while you claimed that you wanted to go to Great Wolf Lodge for your birthday.  We waited and checked in with you every now and then to see if your plan would change.  Eventually, we bit the bullet and booked a room for a one night stay.  We made sure you knew that this was a family "party" and that friends couldn't join you this time.  After that rolled around in your head for a while, you had a change of heart.  We told you that it was too late to plan an elaborate bash but you were just fine with having a basic swim party with a small group of buddies.  Because of crazy sports schedules and even crazier weather, your celebration was pushed back into May.  It ended up being chill, low-key, and fun and I think that fits your personality to a t!

Jackson, 

     You changed our world in the best way possible 7 years ago!  Life has been better since you arrived and we love being your parents!  You have so many amazing qualities that you often indirectly remind us to be better people.  You are compassionate, smart, humble, inquisitive, kind, playful, and energetic -- just to name a few.  You are timid in new situations but adapt quickly.  You are conservative with money but take risks during your sports.  You have a wide variety of friends and your teacher reported to us that you're liked by every classmate.  You don't play with toys but love to play outside.  You also like playing video games -- especially soccer!  I think you're a night owl like your dad although we still have you at a 7:45 bedtime.  We're still learning about you and you're still teaching us how to be parents.  Thank you for the lessons, laughs, and love.