Kindergarten Graduation

My number one son graduated from kindergarten yesterday! It really doesn't seem like it was that long ago that I was sitting in an early-morning conference with Ms. L--a total stranger at the time--and asking her to make allowances for my son, who was wondering if his mommy would ever get well. Now, nine months later, Mommy is well and Goliath has been a star student in kindergarten! God has been so gracious to us.

This is Goliath walking across the stage. The kids were well-trained to first shake hands with their teacher, then the principal.

Here he is waiting on the risers. He is tall, and is always in the back row!

When the graduation ceremony was over, we went back to his classroom so his teacher could do individual awards. She is great, and every kid in her class received an award. She was careful to point out something good about each and every one of the students--even the most rambunctious "friend" (that's what she calls them, as if Friend is another proper name) got a certificate of recognition for his "high energy and enthusiasm." HA! Goliath's award was in recognition of his "kindness to others." Ms. L said that whenever the class has had a new Friend come in, Goliath is the first to take said Friend under his wing and show them the ropes. He can always be counted on to make good choices and do the right thing, and he shows patience, compassion, and respect to everyone. This is when I started sniffling......

THEN...Ms. L explained that the school administration had allowed each teacher to choose 5 students from their class to receive a special citizenship award. She started calling those names, and just when I was starting to wonder how devastated he would be to not receive one, she called him up. The four kids in front of him had received a certificate and a special pin; MY kid was so fabulous he got a MEDAL. He wore it all day long (even into Firestone to get a flat tire fixed) because he is proud and he thinks it is made of real gold.



He also got a prize because he read 234 books this year--yes, they keep track and yes, we are sick of reading.



After all those awards, we were overflowing with pride in our firstborn. What's a parent to do? We checked him out of school at 10 a.m.! We came home, went swimming and roasted hot dogs in the barbeque pit for lunch.

Goliath and Ms. L (and the medal)

Goliath and his best kindergarten buddy

Post-graduation swimming