kindergarten v 2.0

Once I knew a boy who insisted on wearing pink cowboy (cowgirl?) boots everywhere he went. On his big sister's first day of kindergarten, he dropped his pants and took care of business all over the parking lot of her new school. Meanwhile, his baby sister blew out a diaper in that parking lot and their mama stood helpless as she tried not to cry.

Today, I picked up that boy in that same parking lot. He wore Nikes. He didn't dream of taking care of any business. He stood quietly in line. The little sister hasn't needed a diaper in well over a year. In our first go-round of kindergarten I had a baby strapped to me everywhere we went. Now, she runs.

 Today, it wasn't leaving him in the classroom or the impossible cuteness of the cubby or his smart backpack that made me cry. It was remembering who they were three years ago that did me in.

We spend a lot of time wondering who they will become. Who they have been is pretty great too.