My son graduates from kindergarten at Faribault Lutheran School in May 2000.
I DID NOT EXPECT melancholy to wash over me Thursday morning as I hugged my 18-year-old goodbye on his final day of high school.
But I suppose, now that I think about it, why wouldn’t I feel somewhat sad after 21 years of sending off-spring off to school.
I made it a point, with all three of my children, to send them out the door with a hug and a kiss and a “Have a good day at school.” Well, at least that was my intention. As the grade-schoolers became pre-teens and then teens, the kisses were often skipped. But not the hugs. No, not the hugs.
Thursday morning, on my son’s final day of classes, I embraced him in a lingering, vise grip hold. I expected him to resist such an emotional display of affection and pull away. But he didn’t. Instead, his lanky arms gripped tighter around me, both of us understanding this to be a bittersweet moment we wanted to remember, or at least that I wanted to remember.
Just the evening before, my son asked if I remembered his first day of kindergarten. I paused and then realized that, no, I did not recall that first day of sending him off to school.
But I did remember the day he got in trouble from his kindergarten teacher for stuffing green beans into his milk carton at lunch time. And I do recall the day he came home proclaiming he loved Mrs. K more than me. I’m pretty certain that was prior to the disappearing green beans trick.
Turns out he truly didn’t love Mrs. K more than me and he still doesn’t like green beans.
The disappearing part, though…how did the years between my son’s birth and age 18 disappear so quickly? Poof. Just like that he’s all grown up and ready to venture into the world without those morning hugs.
When my 18-year-old arrived home from his final day of classes Thursday afternoon, I welcomed him with a hug.
“That’s it,” he said.
He has no idea. It’s only the beginning.
© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Ah it made me misty reading this!!! And giggle about the milky green beans. Where does the time go??? My baby turns 24 next week and it seems like yesterday when he was learning to ride a bike and turning himself inside out to resemble a pretzel. Enjoy the moments, friend. They are indeed precious!
I’m trying to savor the moments, although right now it seems I am stressing more about last-minute party details than anything.
Oh yea–there would be that too!!! Well try to enjoy as much as you can. And take lots of pictures!!! 🙂
Just a minor detail w/ the party, huh? I’m assigning one of my daughters to photo duty at the party. I know I won’t have time for that. Well, maybe one or two or three pix…
Congratulations on another successful launch! 🙂 Enjoy the party and the people. Good job!
Thank you. I intend to enjoy the party and people. Once I have my kitchen crew in place, then I can relax.
Very nice, Audrey. Lovely post. Wow. I can only imagine how you feel!
And some day you’ll go through this, too. Savor every year with those darling children of yours.
What a special day, and great memories! I cant remember anything about my kids kindergarden! Hope you have a great time celebrating the graduation and achievements of your baby!
Thank you, Jackie. Party yesterday was splendid and we were blessed by beautiful weather for an outdoor celebration.
I know, I know. Where did the time go? The years with children go by so quickly. I’m glad I have my little guy because I’m enjoying all the phases he’s going through and I take more time to enjoy each stage, unlike how I was with my first two – too much business and not enough time to enjoy xx
I understand exactly what you’re saying as there’s an eight-year spread between my oldest and my youngest and 21 months between the two girls. Age and experience causes us to pause and savor rather than hurry along, doesn’t it?