The Cheese: No more kindergarten.

Yesterday was the last day of kindergarten for the Cheese. We had talked about it all week--how he wouldn't be a kindergartner anymore and would be a first grader in a few months.

I was prepared to shed a few tears when he started kindergarten. It's a mother's right of passage to be emotional when her baby goes off to big-boy-school for the first time. What I wasn't prepared for was getting all choked up on his last day.

Part of it had to do with the fact that the Cheese will be going to a new school next fall. We've loved our experience at this school, and we were sad that we weren't able to buy a house in the school's boundaries. The new school in our new neighborhood is great--no worries there. But I was still a little sad that we won't be returning to one of California's Most Distinguished Schools.

I was also sad that we won't be seeing the new friends that we've made every day. I've made as many new friends this year as the Cheese has. Kindergartners have to be picked up at the front gate of the school, so all of the mothers gather there together every afternoon, giving us five or ten minutes to chat. I've met so many wonderful mommies this way, and I'm sad that our children won't be going to the same school anymore. I plan to make an effort to stay in touch with these ladies and the excuse of getting our children together make it easy to do that.

Kindergarten is the last "baby" thing my child will do. Even though it was elementary school, the Cheese was only going half days--still spending most of his time with me. Now that he will be a first grader, he'll be gone all day long. There's a part of me that's excited about that--about the freedom it will give me during the day. There's also a part of me that's a little sad thinking about it. It makes me feel like I'm going to turn around and it will suddenly be his senior year in college. You know that's how it works don't you? When you're not looking they suddenly grow up and leave you for good.

But I have to push all of those emotions aside for now. We've got a summer to start--trips to take, family to visit. We leave today to travel home for my brother-in-laws wedding. Both of the boys are in it--carrying a pillow down a really long aisle and looking all cuteness and sweet in their tuxes. Good or bad, they no doubt will steal the show.

Any time I travel, the theme music from the movie "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" starts playing in my head. I'm not a good traveler and neither are my children. I'm prepared--new books to read, lots and lots of snacks to eat, and a charged up DVD player. Unfortunately, none of that will protect me from inevitable meltdowns and repetitive questions like "Why aren't we there yet?"

I'd tell you to pray for us, but it's really my husband that you need to be praying for. He's the one who has to put up with all of us.