Mother's Day Tea Party

I have only been working at my new job in Carson City for a week and a half, so I told my boys that I wouldn't be able to make their special Mother's Day Tea Party at their school. I felt really bad about taking a half day so soon. BUT! I worked it out with the other staff members at the Carson City Library, and they were super nice about it. They all said it's something that I can't miss! So I surprised them! I got there early, only to be surprised myself at how lovely their classroom had been decorated. They had even drawn pictures for the bulletin board, written the most important part about Moms on a banner at the front of the room, and planted flowers in pots they decorated, and painted special Mother's Day letters.







Then the tears began. Each student had created a book they called "A Walk Through 1st Grade," and on the front cover were their footprints from the beginning of the year! Each page had a different piece of art or writing sample added as the year progressed. There was a self portrait, their Presidential speeches, a Leprechaun poem, and at the very end, a picture of their mom and a special story they wrote just for us. It was based on the book "Love Your Forever" by Robert Munsch. If you have never read it, this is one of those picture books you need to go buy. And buy for every new mother out there, along with a box of Kleenex. Of my two boys, Ashton invited me to the front to sit in the cushy Mother's Day chair, and he read me my story.

It started out, "Do you remember when we were reading a book..., and then came the verse:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living,
My Mommy you'll be."

He continued on to say, "Even when I'm in high school, I'll still want to go on hikes with you (verse), and in college we can ride bikes together (verse), and when I get married we can still paint pictures and drink hot chocolate together (verse)." His whole story was five full pages! I managed not to cry, but only because I had already cried through the first 3 students' stories.

Here is my baby and my portrait he painted~

Sean called me up towards the end to read to me.

He read, "Mommy, remember when we did art together and we sat by the fire together? It felt like so much fun! (verse) When I go to high school, I still want to read books with you and I'm glad you like when I read to you. (verse) When I go to college, I still want to go to the park with you because I like to run around, and I love how you teach me how to be a better runner. (verse) When I get married I still want to play with you because it is so much fun. (verse) As we grow old together, I still want to spend time with you, and if you can't come to my house I'll come to yours. (verse)"

His story was also a full five pages. Then we got to eat cake and drink iced tea. I am SO happy I made the decision to leave work to be here for this~ my co-workers were right: this is not something I should miss, and I could never make up this special time together with them. I would have been the only mom NOT there- and I have two kids in the class! I am truly blessed to have two such wonderful smart and loving children who want nothing more than to please me and make me happy. They have grown so tall this year. Their footprints on the covers of their books no longer fit their feet. My prayer is for them to keep growing and growing and learning and loving~