The joke goes that the first day of kindergarten is scary. Lots of tears and hugs. Maybe a little excitement, but it is outweighed by the sheer terror of it all. And the kids might be a little afraid too. By far, the first day of kindergarten is much harder on the moms than the kids. For every kid in tears, there are at least three moms sobbing away. Celie’s first day was no different. For weeks, I talked the big game and truly loved watching her excitement leading up to the start of school. Then, those questions began attacking. The what if’s. What if she hates school. What if she gets a crappy teacher. What if she runs away with the class hunk. What if. What if. WHAT. IF.
Then, the big week arrived. We bravely trudged up the hill Tuesday morning to meet her teacher. My heart pounded as we plodded across the uber cool light-up floor in the entrance. Who would her teacher be? Could we be so blessed to get the teacher, the one for which I’d broken the sacred “don’t request a teacher” rule? I didn’t really request her, mind you. I just sent the principal a nice note about how excited we were to begin the year…how much we appreciate their hard work…smoochy-smoochy…kissy-kissy…and I sure do admire this person’s teaching style and would appreciate a teacher like her for my kid. See, no rule broken. I didn’t request, just suggest. Totally different... Whatever, I totally broke the rule because I really wanted this teacher.
Heart pounding, eyes blurring, mind racing, we approach the lists. I scold myself for being so ridiculous…all the while my eyes sprinting over the sheets of white. My eyes catch the name I so covet. Mrs Geiger. There. It. Is. Such a small moment in life. A blink really. Yet, it would shape the next nine months of my baby’s life. And, there…wrapped up in a little Times New Roman bow…was Celie’s name. I couldn’t help myself. I let out a little squeal and nearly threw my child to the ground as I jerked my arms up in the air. Oh, Celie, we got Mrs Geiger! Not, YOU got Mrs Geiger. We. Yeah, I forgot for a moment this wasn’t about me.
Now I can release my anticipatory breath, knowing my sweet little lamb has a capable shepherd. I practically run down the hall. I have to refrain from tackling Mrs Geiger and giving her a lung crushing hug. I am the queen actress, playing it cool as we fill out paperwork and meet classmates. All the while, my internal organs do the happy dance.
And so, two mornings later when I walk my grown up girl down this huge hall to the biggest day of her young life, I am able to walk away and not be that Mom in a puddle. I am smiling and confident my offspring is in the most capable of hands. And for that, I am so very thankful. Mrs. Geiger is an answer to prayer. A blessing. She totally rocks. And I thank God for wonderful teachers like her who spend their days loving our children and shaping them into smarter, well-rounded little people.
We are now three weeks into this big adventure. And, of course, Celie loves school…and Mrs. Geiger…and packing her lunch…and picking out her clothes…and everything about the Arrows. And so do I.
Any of my blog readers from Charleston who think you recognize Mrs. Geiger...you do. In another life she grew up there. I won't give her full name to protect her privacy, though she did give me permission to splash her mug on the blog. Yes, she's just as cute as she was in her youth. Like I said, she rocks.
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