We had a busy morning.  I started the coffee, made breakfast for three, packed lunches for three, brushed hair, brushed teeth, dressed, put shoes on, backpacks on, family photo-shoot, and off to school.

The girls were a little nervous, but mostly excited about starting kindergarten.  My son watched the clock from the moment he awoke, and despite my reassurance that “we don’t need to leave yet,” he kept urging us out the door with,  “We gotta go, Mom.  Can we please go now?!”  When we got to school, we walked my daughters to their classroom and my son told us he would see us later and that he was going to “go do my thing”.   A quick hug and he was off, confidently heading into the 3rd Grade.

Warning: I’ve been reflective this morning.   You see, my twin daughters were born early, at 29 weeks.  Looking back on that time, I almost can’t understand how we made it through.  I won’t tell you the whole story.  The full-length version is too long for this blog post, and it isn’t the reason I write.  I only mention it because it was a difficult time and there was a point at which we weren’t sure if we’d ever have the opportunity to take our girls to kindergarten.  Hard to believe, as I took them to school today, snapping pictures of them outside their classroom.  They were smiling, nervous, holding hands.   They made it!  And it is just the beginning.  They will have a great time, learn so much, meet new friends.

I thought I might be more emotional today, when I saw my babies off to school.  But, I wasn’t.  I was happy.  Happy that they are growing up.  It is a wonderful thing.   I won’t lie, I even had a few high-five moments with some other moms I know who were sending their youngest ones out the door, too.   There is a sense of accomplishment, like “I made it! Yes!”  Another chapter of motherhood ends, as one begins.  Of course, when the bell rang, and my husband and I walked back to our car after saying our final goodbyes and blowing kisses, I did get a little choked up.  And I laughed at myself when tears fell down my cheeks, because I’m really not sad at all.  I just know that this is exactly what is supposed to happen, and the kids, my husband and I, are all exactly where we are meant to be, right now.  It’s a good day.

Now, I sit at my computer and type this story, uninterrupted and in complete silence.   I feel good.   I see the kids’ breakfast dishes sitting on the counter and I do miss the little rascals.  I hope they are having a good day, too.  I think I will pour another cup of coffee and make some phone calls.  Strange, but for the first time in a long time, my kitchen is not chaotic at all.

-Michelle