We used to have those mornings where we’d get out of bed in such a rush, I’d throw some breakfast at her to eat in the car and we were off. It didn’t really matter when we would show up at preschool (since she was a PM preschooler).

Today miss KC started Kindergarten! I can still remember her birth like it was yesterday. The day she got her first tooth… the day we were at our wits end wondering why she was coughing all the time, and now… she’s “made it”. The day I’ve been dreaming about since she was born. – really – .

I had this thought of bawling my eyes out, but I didn’t.

We set her alarm clock for 6:30 a.m. which she’s NEVER woken up to until today. Promptly at 6:30 a.m. “MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY!!! My Alarm went off, time to get ready for Kindergarten!!!”

I soo badly wanted to tell her to snuggle, but I know my procrastinating daughter well, and realized this is my new reality. 6:30a.m. wake up call. For life. Or at least until she’s old enough to drive herself to school.

We got breakfast. Her – Cinnamon Toast Crunch and OJ. Me… Coffee.

Soon it was time to head to school. We took the standard, “start of school day photo” and then departed for the whole 4 minute drive. We got there way too early. The administration staff doesn’t get outside until 7:50 a.m. and we got there at 7:35. Apparently no other parent shows up until 7:45 at the earliest. So tomorrow we will revise our departure time. We drove around the “car parade” a few times until I decided to park until we saw one of the admin staff.

We find a parking spot in the back corner, and of course my goofball daughter  unbuckles herself and pops her head out the moon roof shouting, “I’m a Kindergartener”. Me… feeling like an idiot to these professional looking parents.

Finally we saw the admin staff, told K to park her butt, and got back in the “parent/car parade”. Once we got up by the doors I rolled down my window and said, “its her first day- Ms. LeSage’s room.” and Ms. Moffat promptly got miss K out of the car and said, “Hi, I’m Ms. Moffat, lets go find Ms. LeSage.” and that was that. I drove away towards Walmart as I needed a few things since returning from the Canadian Border on a family vacation.

As I was driving away I started hyperventilating thinking. Oh. Wow. Five years is just like that. Soon I had visions of dropping her off at Yale or Harvard, or the U of M and wondered what that would be like.

If five years happens in a blink. Is the next 12 years going to be a simple inhale ~ exhale? Cherish these moments. This is my new mantra. No more overly busy schedules. Cherish… cherish these moments.

One thing I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE about this school is the amazing communication that the staff has with the parents. Each weekend we recieve an e-mail from our teacher on the upcoming week. What K will learn, and any upcoming volunteer opportunities. (We’re supposed to put in 40 hours per year of volunteer work).

This can be done through teacher projects (such as sharpening pencils, which i’m currently doing in between paragraphs), attending Board Meetings, serving on the PTO. All of which I plan to do.

I picked up K in the early afternoon, and she exploded with excitement. “Oh Mom! Can I do that again tomorrow? It was so much fun!”

She said right away they played a game regarding their names. “Find the missing letter”. They went to Art Class, did Math Stations, and learned nursery rhymes.  She even met a new friend named Aurora.

Every day in her backpack we get a special folder called the “Parent – Teacher Communicator” which one side says “Keep at Home” and the other side says “Return to School”.  (Or a few packs of pencils for me to sharpen).

Buckle up mom. You’re in for a ride!

1. I have a new website for my photography craft! It’s http://www.laimage.org . Check it out today!

2. Little miss begins kindergarten in just 10 more days! We got to meet her kindergarten teacher, whom seems very nice.

3. We bid farewell to the Montessori where K has spent the last two years leaning how to write her own name and do simple addition and subtraction! We will miss the bunch of influential and caring providers we had!

Last night (or this morning for that matter) marks my 9th Relay For Life (RFL) i’ve participated in. When I moved back to Minnesota from California I was at a parade where they were promoting RFL, and I decided right then that THAT was something I wanted to do, and have been Relaying ever since. Unfortunately each year we add new people to the folks we walk for, but we’re still walking and not giving up the fight, or the hope that someday nobody else will hear those words, “Its Cancer”.

The past few weeks in Minnesota have been terribly hot with temps hovering around the 90s with dew points in the high 60s and 70s, but not yesterday. It was brisk and cool with dew temps barely flirting with 50, and temps in the 60s. Frankly it was a welcome break, but with the scattered rain a lot of people didn’t show up last night. So I would say last nights Relay was intimate. (But my team was still there!).

Jason and little miss stopped by to say hi, walk a few laps and put in a few bids at the silent auction. Later when I went back to check on the bids I noticed the bids had gone WAY up. So I decided to lock in on this fleece blanked my daughter had wanted, and also realized it would keep me warm over night when I wasn’t walking.  So I upped the bid sheet and I ended up having the winning bid! Horray!

The ceremonies were wonderful and walking got underway. We again got our walking punch “cards” to keep track of laps and miles and was well on my way for 10 miles. I walked miles 1-4, ran miles 5-7, and then walked the last three. While I walked I thought about all of the people that I Relay for. One lap per person until I got to my Grandma Eilleen whom I’ve never met. I thought about her for lap after lap. About how cancer robbed me of ever knowing her.

Some Short videos & pictures here: http://instagram.com/mnlindseya

We were able to fill out these cards titled “Messages to Heaven” which I filled out. It said something to the affect, “Dear God. Please give this to my Grandma Eilleen. I really wish I would have gotten to meet you. I often wonder if I have your nose, or your laugh, or kind ways…” I asked God to hug all of my aunts and uncles, other grandparents, and friends. I also asked that he would take Tyler in and love him, and keep him.  In the morning they tie these messages to balloons and release them up to God.

I thought about going for 15 miles, but that last mile 9 to 10 was very exhausting, and I ended up going back to my “campsite” on the football field to rest.  Temps dropped down to about 50 degrees and it was MIGHTY brisk. I am pretty sure as I told others that I believe I “contracted” hypothermia. Of course not really, but it was cold.

We woke up just in time for the balloon release which was magical, and moving, and emotional. I stood there and watched the beautifully colored balloons fade into the morning grey sky and disappear into the clouds. It was a wonderful way to end the Relay.

I got in my car turned the heat on high, heated seats on high and rode that way home the whole way. Climbed into bed with my husband and daughter, and slept until 2:30 p.m.

I’m not sure what today will bring, but I have a cup of coffee and baileys, a fire in the fireplace (no joke), and a whole lot of blessed memories from last night!