This Is First Grade

My dearest Frog Princess: Today you are off to your first day of first grade in a new school. To say I am overwhelmed by this continual realization that you are in first. grade. is an understatement.

You are a ray of sunshine and this summer, I've watched you bloom into a confident girl with nothing but a bright future ahead.

When asked by your teacher to select 5 words to describe you, these are the ones I chose: smart, kind, funny, compassionate, sensitive.

I've loved to watch you reading this summer. You're super hard on yourself but you are getting better at showing yourself some grace. Power posing has become a fun thing for us to do and though I used to give you prompts, one day you busted out with "I'm going to change the world" and I almost cried. Because I've known this since that Good Friday when I sat in church and commended the uncertainty of what I thought might be growing inside of me to a higher being.

[Tweet "Our job as parents is merely to hold you steady as you leap through your path to your purpose."]

This girl of mine will not be rushed. This summer you've reminded me of that. Reminded me that you should not be rushed. That things will be done in their own time so long as there's steady work being done. And not the work that we boast of but the smile that you give me as you finish a book, the drawing you rush to do as a idea hits you, the unspoken love that passes our gaze, the words of knowledge that are whispered by your lips.

I must remember this. That you do it all in your own time. Just as it should be. Our job as parents is merely to hold you steady as you leap through your path to your purpose.

[Tweet "We'll cuddle & talk. I will do our toenails and we might even have ice cream. Because this is how we hold each other down."]

We are proud of you. Of every little thing that you do. Of every big thing that you will accomplish.

My promise to you this year is simple: I will give you water and sun. It is all you require because you already have everything that you need inside of you. I will support you, encourage you, nudge you and love you through it all.

From here to the sun and back more times than we can count,

Your Mami

P.S. you got teary eyed right as you went into your classroom. It's okay to be afraid. Your dad kept saying "let's go" but it's not so easy when all I want to do is comfort you. I know you're going to have an amazing year. When you get home today, we will cuddle and talk. I will do our toe nails and we might even have ice cream. Because this is how we hold each other down.