Preschool Pictures and HOME

Here's Jay's 1st class photo!

And...here's mine!

(I'm 2nd from the right, next to Heidi giving the wink!)
Ha!


I just love both of these pictures so much. I remember quite a few things from preschool.

I remember loving it and my friends. One friend in this picture--Heidi Hooberry (i know, she had the best name ever. She's married now, but I bet lots of folks still use her maiden name.) and I remained friends for years and years into middle school and I believe were friends for a year or maybe 2 when this photo was taken. We met at preschool and it just amazes me to think that Jay will still know some (perhaps one or two or ALL) of these boys for years to come.

I've always said I'm a native Nashvillian (which I am) but just recently it occurred to me that while I am not "from here" my children are--and will be--"from here". Where we are now will be their home, this will be the area they return to after going out to explore their own worlds, this will be where they fondly remember holidays, schoolmates, dates and family.

One day they'll drive down this very street where we live now and perhaps tell their own family, "That's the house where I grew up..."

Maybe I'll be with them-or maybe I won't. But I pray that the feeling they have of Home is warm and comforting when the world is not. I pray they will always smile-inside and out-when they remember this house, these walls and our lives here.

I sometimes think I want a "bigger blog" or for more folks to "follow" our story, but what I'm realizing is that by living our story and making our memories and filling my kids with every ounce of goodness and warmth and happiness I have I'm giving them the introduction to their own stories...their backgrounds that will shape who they are, color their own family memories, holidays and moments they'll hold in their hearts.

Its a big (or as Jay would say-- "veryhugegiant") job. I do the best I can. Some days are victories and sometimes I need a do-over. I'm just so thankful that I (we--me and Daddio) get to do it.

I'm also so thankful for Jay's teacher--his very first one--and all that she has taught Jay this year. It truly amazes me that preschool teachers can wrangle half-a-dozen 2 year olds and not only teach lessons about numbers, shapes and colors but teach them that they are beautiful and special and how to love others and live as little people in this great big world outside of their homes.

What a great journey we're all on--so much learning and discovery happening all around! I'm so thankful for all that I continue to learn and pray I'm filling my two kiddos with the right things and helping to shape their stories into all that they want them to be.

....so, this little post to share preschool pics turned into something more than I thought it would....thanks for "listening"! Maybe I'm not the only one who remembers some of the lessons my first teachers taught and am working to pass them on everyday...