Many the Milestones - Kindergarten to Senior '09

This is Tori on her 1st day of Kindergarten at Polk Elementary in Richwood. What a cutie pie!

This morning, she drove off in her decorated truck to begin her last semester of high school. My emotions are running the spectrum right now. I remember the feeling of her going to kindergarten and thinking she was growing up way to fast. I remember it being particularly hard to see her go into the 9th grade and begin her high school years. Then she began driving and dating and now... well, she's almost ready to fly solo.

We've celebrated many milestones over the last 12 years. But being in her last year (semester) of school, beginning her college career and becoming her own Tori and not so much "my" Tori is a pretty big milestone.

Last night, Tommy and I pulled into the driveway from being at a dinner with some friends and saw her truck decorated with "Seniors '09". It struck me hard and I was not prepared for it at all. Later, Tori and I sat on the couch for a few minutes and talked about her schedule for the week and what she wanted for breakfast in the morning, what she was wearing for the first day, etc. and my emotions just got the better of me. It was a moment indeed. The ugly cry and everything. It didn't last long, I pulled myself together, hugged her super tight and time stood still for just a little while as memories flashed through my head. I told her how incredibly proud of her I was and how she has grown up quite nicely but that I had one request. I asked her if she would just let me be "mommy" every once in a while.

















*Anna told me later that I couldn't cry like that when she was a senior. I told her that I wouldn't - it would be much worse! :) I just can't even think about that right now.......