photo by Alexa’s Photography
I know these links are a bit indulgent of me, but the letting go days have begun. It’s time to send my oldest girls off to Big School, so there is little else on my mind this weekend. I may have to post about it some more next week, but I promise after that I’ll try to stop being the sappy sentimental mommy. Not gonna lie, it will be hard. But I will try. Here are a few links from lovely mama’s with various perspectives on their letting go transitions.
Knit Together @ Life In Grace
Can’t it Linger A Little Longer? @ Boy Crazy
14 Books to Help Ease Children Through Transitions @ Simple Mom
Back to School @ Shutter Sisters
First Day @ I Should Be Folding Laundry
please do not apologize for being a loving, sentimental mother…it makes me feel normal for residing in this continual sappy state-of being!
It seems as if I’ve spent the better part of 43 years perfecting my “letting go’s”; just last week, I packed two sons off to college, while watching my other two make their re-entrance into elementary school. When my oldest left for college, it was a grief I’ve never known. I thought it would be easier with the second one. It hasn’t been. In many ways, it’s been harder; a week in, and I’ve survived. God’s grace and comfort and trusted presence has held me close and assured me that, while it’s hard to let go, it’s go and right and the way of a pilgrim’s heart.
Holding tight and holding loosely, all in the same breath.
peace~elaine
oh my goodness those girls are so grown up and so tan!!!
As I scrolled down and couldn’t see all of the girls’ faces I couldn’t tell which one was which. It was a weird feeling. They really look like twins in that picture! I will be thinking of you on Tuesday and it will make me more understanding of the parents dropping off their precious cargo with me.
Oh, Emily, this mama understands. You’re sending them off times two, and I’m just sending my younger (his sister is going into 2nd grade), but I get to do this one more time when #3 finally gets here and is old enough. I think I’m in complete denial at this point.
Sending much love and “Hang in there, Mama” vibes to you!
Lisa
Sending your babies to school is one of the hardest parts of parenting! Time goes so fast–hold on to the sappy sentiments–its ok!
These are the moments for which God invented The Ugly Cry.
It’s okay to feel it big.
(I’m right there with you. It’s like holding on to fist-fulls of sand….if only we could slow time.)
What a special post…I think we have all been there….your blog is one of my favorites…
looking forward to reading all of these! i don’t enough time to think about anything else! (except frio-fools…fool-frias…whatever!)
Look at it this way, this is the part of motherhood that is rewarding. They are given the opportunity to exercise the morals and values that you have so diligently taught them at home. As they embark on this journey known as school it will just be an extension of your home. You now get to sit in the “audience” and watch your daily rehearsals of life be performed by your children. You will witness the love they have felt, the discipline they received, and the compassion they will learn to pass on. So sit back (with a tissue box in hand of course) and enjoy the show!
I will be praying for you this week!
This week I will let go so that my older daughter can begin her third year of college. A little harder will be letting go of my younger daughter so that she can drive herself to begin her third year of high school. (It’s the driving that makes it hard.)
I have concluded that part of mothering is a long string of letting-goes. Since they were born, and started to breathe for themselves, I’ve been letting go in small and big ways. Even while I’m holding-on, I’m trying to enable them to grow in age-appropriate independence.
There’s no question that the first day of kindergarten is one of the VERY BIG letting-goes! I’ll be praying for you and for the girls.
I started my new job last Monday – working on the Kindergarten team at an Elementary school here in town. The kids start tomorrow and i’m a little nervous, excited, you know just a big ol’ mixture of emotions. I’ll be thinking about you tomorrow as the school year begins!!!
And feel free to post as much as you need to about letting go. One of these days i’ll be a mommy and I LOVE learning from your experiences!
Lord, I lift up Emily and the girls as they transition this week, especially tomorrow! Draw them near to You and comfort them in a special way! We love You and are so thankful for who You are! In Your preciously powerful name.
I’ve been thinking about you and those girls…keep on writing, it helps the rest of us!
I do hope you continue to be the sappy, sentimental Mama. It’s beautiful. And so many of us can relate.
I had a tough “sending my baby to kindergarten” week last week. But we made it! And he loved it. Mommy is still learning to let go…
Emily, I didn’t realize that your twins are the same age as my daughter, Mary Ashley, who started kindergarten this year too. I wrote about my feelings on her first day and know you would empathize with that transition. From one sentimental mama to another!
http://alittleloveliness.blogspot.com/2009/08/summers-sunset.html
Hi Emily, Beautiful Photo of your daughters. They are gorgeous!
Thank you for the link up here (what a nice surprise!) and for your kind words (and sticking up for me!) over on my blog.
Hang in there through this big transition. I’m sure we’ll all be writing about it and reassuring each other as we wade on in to the school year.
What a nice collection. You are the sweetest.