Be Kind, Be You, Love Jesus

I remember thinking about it the day you were born.

It seems odd, right?  To think about it moments after I saw your sweet, squishy face for the first time.

Kindergarten.

How will I ever send this sweet baby to Kindergarten?

I don't even want them to take her to the nursery to clean her up.  I don't want to be away from her.  I don't want to lose the warmth of her in my arms.  I don't want to undo her tiny fingers wrapped around mine.

How will I ever stand in a hallway and watch her let go of my hand and walk away from me, walk toward the beginning of an entirely new chapter of life... a chapter of life that equates to the beginning of letting go.

And yet here we are.

Hours... hours away from the day my sweet CK, my bug, my Cameron Kate starts Kindergarten.

And you, my dear, are ready.

I may have a "butterfly tummy" as you call it... but you cannot wait to walk into your new class and officially become a kindergartner.

We've been talking about it all summer... what you'd feel like, what I'd feel like, what your classroom would look like, what school supplies you'd need, who your classmates would be, the kinds of things you'd learn.

One of my most favorite conversations about this big life moment your little heart is about to experience was when we took our sunset-and-pajama-seashell-walk at the beach a couple weeks ago.  I had this sense of calm talking to you, and I knew in that moment that you are ready.

So...

We bought the school supplies...

We met your teacher...

We had an entire day together setting up my classroom, and had the most fun, most giggly lunch at Chick-Fil-A afterward.

We spent an afternoon picking out the perfect back-to-school outfit.  You insisted you would absolutely not wear a dress.  Then you found a dress that has sequins that when brushed one way, are a picture of a piece of pizza, and when brushed the other way, say "Be Kind."

It is perfect, because it so you.

You are so perfectly you, my girl.  So unique and special and designed by a God who loves you more than we will ever comprehend.  You love big and feel hard, just like me.  You are compassionate and a people-pleaser and bossy and a tiny bit type-A (also like me... which I'll go ahead and apologize for).  You prefer comfort over fancy, superheroes over princesses, and silliness over seriousness.

But one of my most favorite parts of you?

Your heart.  

Your sweet, giving, kind heart.

And that is our motto this year, something we have talked about at length.  That what matters most to me as you start Kindergarten (Kindergarten!!) is that I want you to be kind, to everyone.

Yes, do your best, and listen to the teacher, and raise your hand, and follow directions, and walk quietly in the hallway, and earn those sparkle sticks.

But Cameron Kate - above all else, be kind, be you, and love Jesus.

And also remember:  we can't learn how to have courage if we never have to be brave.

I love you, my girl, to the moon and back and more than anything in this world.

And now... let's do this!!

xo,
Mama