Stepping stones with my bare feet....

~Joseph's last day of school..our morning hangout on the front porch waiting for the bus~
~He's just a little excited~
~His wonderful teacher...Mrs. Chapman~
~His best buddy..Alex~
~His buddies.. R.J., Jacob, and Alex~
~Graduation Day.. May 28, 2009~
~The kids presented Mrs. Chapman with an album with their artwork and pictures from the year..created by me!~
~The last day of school on the playground, right after the ice cream party!~

Joseph just ended his first week being of out of school. He finished 2nd grade with flying colors last week, and now he will be heading to the "Elementary School". In Madison, there is a Primary school which has Pre-K through 2nd, and then the children go to the elementary school 3rd-5th.

This is bittersweet to say the least. The primary school has been like an extension of our family since Joseph started Kindergarten there in 2006. Most of the teachers and office staff know us and they all love Joseph to pieces. Who wouldn't, right? :)

My boy is growing up and it is so hard to watch. Every stepping stone is new and exciting, yet gut wrenching at the same time. The stones are blistering my feet. There are days when I want to skip back a few stones, or to be honest many stones. I want to take a seat on one of those stones and hold him in my arms and never let him go.

I must keep moving on though. Each stone is perfectly laid in place by our Father in Heaven. He created us to evolve, to grow, to get closer to Him with each stone. Blisters, none the least.

Joseph is my first born, my love.

Oh, and before it is completely erased from my memory..I want to share something funny about Joseph's visit to the elementary school with his class. When they got to the school, they each had a 3rd grader show them around the school and tell them what 3rd grade would be like. Well, Joseph's little 3rd grade partner was described by Joseph to be a nice and funny "brown boy". As he was showing Joseph the "ropes", so to speak, he confidently stated this to Joseph......" You ain't gonna have no problems with the girls here at the elementary school with a head of hair like that!"

Joseph couldn't wait to tell me when he got home from school that day. In fact, he has been obsessing over his blond locks ever since. God bless him. Lem was so proud when he heard what this little boy had told Joseph. He grinned from ear to ear and said..."That's my boy!!!" God bless 'em both.

Ready or not, here we come elementary school!

I love you, Buddy!!

trying not to slip on these stones,

Jill