Catching Up With The Carters: Playing Catch Up - Part 1: Bayleigh Starts School

I know that I previously posted how I was going to do better about keeping my blog updated, and I know that I failed miserably. I am constantly thinking about the stories that I should put up on my blog, but finding the time to do it is much more difficult. Although I won't go back too far, I am going to backtrack a little to a VERY important day...August 16, 2010, Bayleigh's first day of Kindergarten.

Now, I must start by sharing with you that this is the FIRST time Bayleigh has ever been away from me. With my teaching degree, as well as the blessing of getting to stay home with my girls, I never saw any reason to put Bayleigh in preschool. That being said, this day was VERY hard on me. Even as we bought her uniforms and school supplies, the reality of it all still hadn't set in, but in that last weekend before school started, I realized that our lives would soon be different forever.

As for Bayleigh's school, we chose to enroll her Thunderbird Christian Elementary School. It is an Adventist school, and since we attend Camelback Seventh Day Adventist Church, a church that helps to support the school, a portion of her tuition is subsidized by the church. We loved the campus from the first time we saw it, and the small, family-like group of faculty is top-notch. An added bonus is that we live only 3 1/2 miles from the school.

Bayleigh had so many questions about how things worked, what she would do each day, and how long she would be there for. She slept well the night before, but woke VERY early. She beamed with pride as I braided her hair and added some special touches of lip gloss and perfume. We were fortunate to have both of our parents come over before school for pictures and to see her off. As I sat beside her on the ride to school, it took everything I had to hold back the tears and act excited for her. I could tell she was a little nervous, but she was more than ready to move on to this next phase in her life.

So as I watched my beautiful daughter walk to class with a fancy pink backpack on, so many memories flooded my mind. I thought of the first time I held her in my arms, and how she kept sticking her tiny pink tongue out between her bright red lips. I also thought about all the times she would get in my closet and put on my high heels, and parade through the house...clip-clopping all the way. I thought of how she would lay beside me, hours at a time, when I was on bedrest while pregnant with the twins. I can still hear her sweet 2 year old voice saying, "Mommy, tell me a tory of when you a little gurl." She would smile at me and gaze into my eyes and heart as I told her all of my stories.

With my eyes glassed over, I helped Bayleigh hang her backpack up, put her supplies in her cubby, snap a picture with her precious teacher, Ms. Gloria, and finally find her spot on the floor. It took everything I had to peel myself away from her, and as I walked out of her class, a few tears finally slipped out. I was lucky enough to share these precious moments with my own mother, who reminded me of the how it seemed like only yesterday that she saw me off to Kindergarten and now she was watching me do the same with my own daughter. Moments like these are reminders of how we have to cherish every second with our children and loved ones...time flies.

Brooke and Brylee give Bayleigh morning snuggles to start her day off.