sheesh! i knew this day was coming but the reality of it happening so soon has me all emotional and stuff :) last week my little one, Delaney, took a test to promote to the 1st grade. we had gotten a call from her principal (a good friend of mine and awesome Godly woman) who said that they don't offer the testing a whole lot but wanted us to pray about it for delaney... so we called david's dad, who has his doctorate in education and has been both a principal and superintendent in the texas school system for 30 years, and he, knowing delaney and her ability and temperament, suggested that we have her tested. i also called and spoke with an assistant superintendent in the school district to which we will be transferring in indiana - they would honor the transfer and enroll her as a 1st grader. he also explained that currently they do not offer full-day kindergarten (you can sign up for it but due to funding issues and availability you must pay extra fees and it is not guaranteed that there would be a spot mid-year...) so we knew that we couldn't keep her in full day kinder and then, when we move, take her down to a half day - she would be bored out of her mind! so, after much prayer and petition, we agreed to have her tested, confident that were she to pass the test she would be able to thrive in 1st grade. i got the call from the school counselor yesterday and she said that laney would be promoted the next day! eek!
now i know that there are varying views on promotion and i appreciate that you must make the decision based on each individual student - what is right for one may not be right for the next. and, as a mom, i have been going back and forth over the pros and cons for the past 24 hours... but based on the wise counsel we received, the desire & ability to learn that delaney has exhibited over the past 5 years, and, ultimately, the test scores, we are confident we've made the right choice for her and for our family. just as there are different parenting views from day one (bottle or breast, back or tummy, schedule or not, spank or time out) this is the choice that we made and if you do not agree with it i'd rather not know :)
another "hurdle" was explaining this to big sister :) i do not ever want there to be a hint of competition, jealousy or comparison between them... we explained to both of them (we told them together) that God has gifted everyone differently! and that's how it is for the girls - we see makenna excelling athletically and socially, whereas delaney tends to be quieter and more academic. and that's not to say that we are labeling them and they will always be that way! makenna LOVES science and math - delaney has a passion for reading - but we will continue to expose them to everything and give them opportunities to pursue anything they want! sometimes i feel, throughout my childhood, i was "labeled" as "the singer" and told that was what i "had" to do - it was my "gift" - that was my future... but looking back, there were several things i could have done well (i was somewhat of an athlete - ok, stop giggling...) but it was stressed that music was my "thing". i want my girls to know that whatever and whoever they want to be is fine by me and their daddy - my goal for them is to grow into loving, generous, compassionate, faithful Godly women. career path is totally secondary.
so pray for my sweet little peanut - she looked so small today with her big backpack and bow :) pray for her teacher, ms. volkmer (who, i've been told, is an awesome Godly woman herself!) and that she will integrate and transition smoothly into her class...
and MY prayer is, for all of us moms, that we would never cease in praying for our precious children... that we would, even now, begin to "release" them to the will of God - their futures as well as the present. pray that we would continue to mold them into His image - the days are so short! today i feel i lost a whole year. little laney is one step closer to being out of my reach... i pray for each of us to be the Godly examples for our little ones, even in the midst of the drudgery of daily life, to love fully and wholeheartedly the little ones with whom God has ENTRUSTED us. we are so blessed!!