Kindergarten Week 2

We are settling into a routine and the kids are in their second full week of kindergarten.  I just have to say, I am SO proud of them.  

Since becoming parents, I feel like my husband and I spent hours agonizing, teaching, praying, guiding, worrying, and supporting our kids as babies and toddlers, all for the purpose of getting to this point.  I know that the work does not end here (hah!) but this is such a crucial milestone in my mind.  Since I work with traumatized children, I guess I see firsthand the effects that early life has on a developing mind.  I have found so much joy and passion and excitement watching my kids grow and develop and have been so intentional in their learning and care since day one (probably a little too much at times lol).  Now, for the first time, I feel like I am handing them off for the next stage of their growth.

I am so happy to announce that they are thriving in this initial stage of school.  Well, I meet the teacher in a few days so I'll find out for sure then, but they love going to school, they are making friends, they are participating and coming home with lots to share, and they are handling it all like champs.  There hasn't even been one tear at school yet (those are saved for after ;)

The kids are also learning empathy and friendship skills which is so cool to see.  There is a little boy in their class who just moved here from Israel and doesn't speak English.  The kids have tried to play with him but since he doesn't respond, of course it is hard.  So, we invited him and his family for lunch and a play, and the kids shared their toys and sat and ate a Canadian style lunch with him, and I had a chance to get to know his parents.  It was an incredibly beautiful, humbling, and honoring experience.

Their class is in the afternoons, so we still have a chill morning at home.  When we don't have errands to do, we try to do an activity like baking or art, or go to the library or the park.  As for me, of course I am just loving the free time to myself.  Three hours just flies by, but I have joined a gym and am trying to go nearly every day; I am continuing to unpack and setup life in the new home; and I am slowly branching out an attempting to make new friends (this is by far the slowest thing yet, but that's okay).

All in all, this is an awesome phase of life for us.  I feel like we have waited a long time to get here, and I am loving this stage for our family.  I know there will be a time when I am back to work and things look different, but for now, loving my kids, keeping up my home, and settling in to a new city is good enough for me.