Seventeen years ago Tommy shouldered his green Big Bird backpack, smiled for the camera by the front door, then took off for his first day of kindergarten. Every "first day" since that morning, I've been snapping pictures (the last few years under verbal assault.)
Today was no exception. But it was the last 'first day' photo ever: TG officially started her senior year of high school today.
I won't show the photo here, but it was a really good one! She even smiled a little, but I could tell she wasn't nearly as excited as she was her first day of kindergarten, when she spent days deciding what to wear.
(Final decision: Princess Jasmine skort and vest, seen in photo below with Daniel, starting second grade, and Tommy, big man on campus in fifth. This was my trinity year - room mother to all three rooms...party days were pure sweat and adrenaline!)
Senior year is more of an ending than a beginning - one that I think she is looking forward to, but is a little nervous about, at the same time. So many activities and expectations to juggle, decisions to make, applications to fill out. Things that will affect her whole life.
Soon after Tommy's first day of kindergarten, I quit my job to be one of those "stay-at-home" moms that are never at home. I had planned to wait until after the first of the year, but I just couldn't. I envied the women who had volunteered to be room mothers. Working my twelve-hour shifts, I knew I wouldn't be able to be directly involved - not as much as I wanted to, anyway.
So this is a last year for me, as well as for TG. I will try to savor this year, and remind her to do the same, even as we both look ahead to the future. It's been fun.
