Ella’s First Day of First Grade
Posted by Brandon on August 18, 2008
Our little baby’s growing up! Few things are more precious, and more heart-breaking, than your six-year-old little girl with a backpack on, marching off to school. We’re happy for her, excited about her future, and prayerful that she’ll be used of God in mighty ways! But we also don’t want her to age another day.
She did great on her first day. She was brave. When I said goodbye to her, she sat at her desk with her pencil in hand as though to say, “It’s okay Dad, I can handle this!” She made a friend on the playground but strangely never got her name, and it was a good day!
For me, as I sit writing this, I’m thinking of all the time we’ve spent behind the chair in our living room. It’s an open area and we’ve tossed balloons, rolled around in imaginary mud, wrestled and played “Simon says.” We’ve chased each other through the house, she’s bounced around on a big bouncy ball, and we’ve played many hands of Crazy 8’s and Old Maid. And I don’t want that to end!
After school we took her for ice cream and I looked across the table at her and was overwhelmed with joy. Most of the time, something good has to happen for us to smile, but with Ella, all I have to do is look at her and I’m pleased. I’m proud. I’m thankful. When all the stresses of life weigh on my heart, I can retreat into a moment of Ella-gazing. I hope she knows always just how much I love her and how proud of her I am.
For Ella, it was a pretty big day. For Angie, it was much bigger. Neither of them, however, will ever realize how big today is for me. Another grade begun and so few to go. Let’s slow it down, okay?
