between third and fourth

that's where henry will be, in 45 minutes.

he left the house today an excited kid. last day of school! half day!! then summer!!!

but my own head was saying: no! not possible!! this means he's almost a fourth grader!!!

i remember fourth grade. it was the year i really started making memories that have stuck with me. some good (mr prell teaching us about the sistine chapel by having us tape paper under our desks and draw a picture while lying on our backs; playing "little house on the prairie" almost daily with my friend, amy; becoming a big sister.), some bad (moving to a new state the final month of school and being told i wasn't welcome, i didn't belong, go back where i came from; having no friends and being bullied daily; becoming a big sister.).

it was the beginning of about five years of really, really hard for me. life-altering, mood-changing, esteem-blowing years. and remembering that, i will do anything i can to make sure henry's fourth grade year is good, his life is stable, his friends are around, his family is happy. as a parent, all you want to do is protect your kids from the world, from hurt, from other kids. but as an adult you know your kids need SOME of those experiences to develop skills of resilience, forgiveness, strength, character.

i don't know what next year will bring for henry, but i have to admit that it excites me. i love that's he's growing older and becoming such a great person to be around. third grade was awesome; with any luck, fourth grade will be even better.

Comments

[Kellie]

Amazing to think that that handsome boy is the same one that I bought a first year birthday present for (and then forgot to send until he'd outgrown it, sigh) so many years ago, when his mom was sending me care packages while I was on bed rest for my pg with Grace.

How time flies. And what incredible things can take place in the space of that time.

Look out, Fourth Grade...here H comes!

[Ann-Marie]

Don't worry...Henry is an amazing kid who will only let any lessons learned make him into a more amazing person.
We all fall and you will be there to pick him up, dust him off..give him a cookie and push him out the door again.