Watch Out World

It was this girl's first day of school today. To say she was excited would be an understatement. I think we've been counting down this day since the start of school last year. Only then it seemed so far away that my little blond-haired girl would actually be going. I don't know how that passed so quickly. We were counting by events (Halloween, Christmas, birthdays, Easter, summer, then school), then it came down to months, then weeks, then we made a daily chain to count down the final 9 days (only because she officially started school 9 days after her sisters). 

And today she's gone.

I'll admit, I was a bit teary...but I always am sending off a kid for the first time. 

As excited as she was she was also nervous. She was nervous about not knowing what her teacher is saying, not knowing when it is time to eat or play, of making a mistake and getting in trouble, about being sent to the principal's office (thank-you older sisters), of not having anyone to play with. How can a four-year-old have so many concerns? The last couple of days she's been asking me how nervous I am. 

I overheard this conversation between her and Evelyn this morning as they were getting ready:

Audrée: "What if everyone laughs at me?"

Evelyn: "Are you kidding? You are beautiful. All the boys in your class are going to want to marry you."

Audrée: "But what if I do something then everyone laughs?"

Evelyn: "Don't worry. You tell them I'm your older sister and then find me and I'll make sure they stop."

What a blessing it is to have older sisters! Older sisters who were just as excited as she was that she finally was coming to school with them. As the bus pulled away from the house I saw them all squeezed into one seat with Audree tucked in the middle. They were struggling to find a place to put all their bags. 

The house was eerily quiet as Lucienne and I came back in (although she rectified that soon enough). I don't even want to think about the day I'll be walking into the house all alone. Until then, Lulu and I will hold down the fort until their return at 3:30. This should be interesting...