super mom to the rescue... well sort of.

Wednesday afternoon Max brought a note home from his teacher telling me about his difficult morning. He was weepy and telling his teacher that he missed his mom and that he wanted to go home. They worked through it and he did well for the remainder of the day. She even asked me what she could do to help him when he feels homesick. Hmmm... I dunno. He was never like this in kindergarten.

Max and I talked it through, and I thought all was well.

Then Thursday morning I was on my way to visit some friends, and about 10 minutes in to the drive I get a call from an unknown number. The lady on the other end asks "SIERRRRRA? Soy Julita." She went on to ask if I spoke Spanish. I said "um, un... poco?" In a very thick Spanish accent she explained that she was the school nurse and that Max was not well. That he had a tummy ache but no fever, that he was sobbing and that I needed to talk to him to figure out a plan. She handed the phone over to my boy.

"MOm? I need you. I am sick. Pleeeeease come for me mom?"

I told the nurse I'd be there in 10 minutes.

When I got there, Max was curled up on the cot still crying. Julita pulled me aside and explained that she didn't believe that he was ill, but that he was so worked up, and probably anxious, and that she didn't think that he would be able to function for the rest of the day. Max's teacher agreed. I was so grateful that they allowed me to come and pick him up. There is no better feeling in the world than when you get to rescue your son from the cot in the nurses office.

As soon as we pulled out of the driveway of the school. Little Max was feeling fine and his tummy "doesn't hurt anymore!"

We talked through out the day about it, and when I told him he had to go back today, he began to weep again, telling me how much he loves me and needs to be near me and how he just wants me to be his teacher, like Cooper's mom (my friend Hannah is home-schooling her son, Max's friend). I told him I am not a teacher. And that part of life in our family, is going to school. Part of me feels so bad. A whole day away is a long time for a little six year old boy.

But it's life. And part of my job as a parent is to teach my kids to be independent and to be able to be on their own someday. Some families are called to home-schooling, and hey! All the power to you home-schooling families! I am not called to home-school though, and so I need to be creative at how I help Max to adjust to his future in our public education system.

I told Max that I would put together a little care-package for him to have at school.
Here is what I packed in the envelope:

1. A card. One side daddy drew a cool airplane, the other side mama drew our family and a note about how he is brave and that his family is with him in his heart.
2. A "rope" friendship bracelet to help remind him that he is strong and brave.
3. A picture of him sipping coffee at home (I think he had stolen my mug that morning...)
4. A picture of the sun shining bright near our house, to remind him that he is my sunshine.
5. A picture of his uncle Gil (since I happened to have one handy, don't take offense Sam and Davey)
6. A square of boppa's old shirt (my daddy)

I didn't want to send any real photos of me or dad, because I thought that would just make it harder. Hopefully this little packet of love (along with our prayers for comfort and peace) will help him to have a successful day at school.

My heart aches knowing that he is anxious about it, but I am confident that this is just one of many more hurdles that we will have victory over in the many more school years ahead of us.

Here we gooooo!

He just left. He was in good spirits. Praying he makes it through the day.

Hope you all have a great weekend.