Love for St. John

Last year summer time, was spent agonizing over where to send Acilia to Kindergarten. I am not one to really look deep into the future, and when we bought out home in 2004, the school district was not on our list of things to check. Time flies as you may know. We found ourselves with a daughter that was graduating from preschool and rapidly approaching her first year in a "real" school setting. We loved her preschool so much, it was a tough task to find something comparable. I asked around, I visited schools. Nothing was coming up. Time was ticking and I can't exactly recall what brought me to visit St. John. The bottom line is, I did and when I walked in the door, I knew it was the place Acilia would be spending her Kindergarten year. Problem solved. She started her first day at a new school, I was relieved. As the days passed, I felt closer and closer linked to a family that I was growing with the parents and staff at St. John. The year quickly came to an end and the decision was made to stick it out through 8th grade. God willing. It's clearly God's will that we are there now, and better yet, I am feeling a strong pull to join the church there. Another story for another post.
Did I mention time flies? Well, it does, and we have entered our second year at St. John. My daughter, my sweet little girl has grown quickly and she is one day from completing her first week of first grade.
Today was a leap. Last year, in Kindergarten, my little dear would not step foot inside of her classroom unless she had me by her side. She absolutely could NOT do it. I happily joined her as we walked into the classroom each day, and watched her engage with her teacher as she settled in to her day at school. First grade is different however. Kids don't often have mom/dad accompany them into the classroom, infact, most of them are dropped at the door and with a kiss good bye bid farewell to their loving parents for the day. For a while, I was hopeless that would ever be my child. As much as I secretly enjoy her being attached to me as her comfort, I want her to spread her wings!
Today was a leap (did I mention that already?) Acilia and I were chatting on the way to school. With that, I was moved to ask her if she felt ready to walk in by herself today. She quickly stated she was ready. Too easy? Today was a leap of faith. I asked her if she was sure, and she said she was. She was ready to be a big kid. I pulled in to the parking lot, kissed my precious first born good bye and she was on her way. Did she really just leave me behind without so much as a bat of the eye? She did! I was so proud! I stood outside of the door, (in the rain) and watched her journey down the hallway to her locker. She knew exactly what she was doing! She looked like she had been walking into school on her own for years. She emptied her backpack into her locker and then walked right in to her classroom.
Mom was happy. Acilia was happy. Augie and Jen Kohl were happy too! Augie is the groundskeeper at the school. He greets everyone at the door every day. We got to know him last year, as we walked by him on the way in and out of school. He knew how special it was that Acilia felt comfortable enough to venture into the hallway on her own. He even gave me a thumbs up and big smile. He was proud of her too! Jen Kohl, another who I got to know last year, walked past Acilia in the hall and smiled as she looked back realizing what was going on. She too gave me a big thumbs up with a smile. You see, we all speak in the parent code. We are family afterall, and family picks up on those special moments.
St. John is a family to us. We love the school, we love the teachers, we love the environment! We love that God led us right where we are.