Orientation

We were super early to the elementary school orientation because I was nervous and because I had seen the havoc at another elementary school orientation. It started at 8, we were there at 7:20. I let Ellie walk around and get comfortable. The names and teachers were listed on the doors outside the office but it started at Kindergarten so we had to ask the ladies in the front office who Ellie had. They said she had hit the jackpot and gotten Mr. Mike. We had heard that the only male teacher over there was, in fact, the best. So we are very excited. Everyone at the school was very, very nice and helpful. We waited in line to get to the cafeteria where a nice lady handed me a slip of paper to fill out. Then we went into the cafeteria where we were given a packet of info to fill out again. Ellie was very well behaved and stayed with me the whole time. Not to say she is a saint because there is a very real possibility she was simply scared to death with all the other people doing things around her. We filled out paperwork, tried to turn it in but we needed a car rider number. So we went to the transportation table and incidentally met Ms. Katy, the parapro. We were told we don't need a car number and went back to turn things in (where we met Ms. Katy's mom). We then went to meet Mr. Mike and see her classroom. Mr. Mike lives up to his sparkling reputation. He was very kind, explained everything to me, answered all my questions, asked a few of his own. Ellie just made herself at home with the dolls. He and I appear to be on the same page on everything, so that really makes it easy for me to trust him. I met another child's mother who seems nice enough. Evidently this is her son's second year in Mr. Mike's class. The classroom is lovely. Ellie gets out an hour earlier than I had thought. Everything went so well and I am so please with everything, but... I wouldn't be a mom without some hesitation and sadness. My baby was already so grown up today and is going to mature so quickly during the school year. Tomorrow is the last day we'll have a free day together without school hanging over our heads for the next 15 years or more. Suddenly I'm desperate to be a stay at home mom more. I want nothing more than to be here for her when she is done with school in the afternoon. This day really snuck up on me and I wish I had done more to really savor this summer.