A Mommy Moment: There He Goes...

I don't know who the first day of a new school is a more momentous occasion  for, my son or myself.  I think it's me.  My son, who stuns me with his fits of maturity, is pretty blase about the whole thing.  The transition from elementary school to middle school (where four elementary schools merge) does not seem to phase him.  (I know it phased me as a kid!)

He was nervous that first day of kindergarten, but that was five years ago.  Now he's the kid who can stay at home by himself for an hour or so while his father and I run to do the weekly grocery shopping.  (This is made easier by the purchase of a cell phone for him.  He knows if he has any problems or concerns he can call or text.  And let me tell you what a silly thrill it was the first time we had a text conversation.  All of a sudden he was grown up in ways that I had yet to imagine.)

How did we get here?  How did the years fly by so quickly?  Where is that little boy who rode home from the first day of kindergarten on his father's shoulders?

His alarm clock went off this morning and there was no grousing as he got dressed and had breakfast.  He got his backpack on (barely, it must have weighed at least 20 pounds and for once I am not exaggerating).  He got his trumpet.  As a family we drove downtown to the middle school.

I watched the back of his head as he made his way into the front entrance of the school, backpack still weighing him down and trumpet case in hand.  He seemed confident and sure of himself.  I watched the music teacher greet him at the auditorium door and point something out to him.  And then he vanished from m line of sight.

Somewhere in my head a little voice whispered:  You've done something right.