Next Stop: 1st Grade

The school year has ended, and all activities tied in a nice little bow as we head into summer.  Meredith had a great kindergarten year.  I was surprised at how much I was looking forward to summer break too!

In the neighborhood earlier in the week, our friends had a sign up for their daughter, one of Meredith's friends, welcoming her to summer break.  I told Meredith about it, and of course, she wanted a sign too (her friend goes to a private school, so different last day).  I obliged, because, come on, who doesn't love summer break?  I put up 2 signs- one that said Welcome to Summer Break, and one that said Next Stop, 1st Grade.

and then I strung crepe paper for her to run through

Meredith bounded off the bus, loaded down with tons of things to take home at the end of the year.  She then proceeded to duck under the crepe paper.

When I told her that she could run through it, she came back and started just ripping it and then she got the look...

I knew something wasn't right.  And then the tears started.  She was happy about summer break, sad she wouldn't see her friends every day for a while, sad her teacher was retiring and wouldn't even be there next year, anxious about day camp starting, and just, well, everything, rolled all into one.  I got it. 

I'm glad she liked school that much.  That's what I hope for each year.  That it's so much fun you don't want it to end.  However, I would like to go on record to remind her when she gets older and can't wait for summer break that in kindergarten, she cried about it.