(remembered from September 1999)

I have put four boys on the bus for that first day of kindergarten. It’s funny, for my husband it is a pride thing. He gets up with me that morning, we get the kids breakfast, put on their new outfits, and pack their backpacks with them. I try to give them at least ten minutes of “down time” to just sit and relax before we have to get out to the bus stop. On that first day, I sit there impatiently, looking at the boys and thinking this is it. No more leisurely days with mom. No more mommy’s little shopping buddy. No more lunches at the mall food court. They have their job to do now - school.

Corey was tough. He was our first, it was made easier because he was so excited. I took him to Old Navy and let him pick out a new shirt. I think it was a blue and green polo shirt. He put on his new shorts, and brought me his socks and shoes because he still needed some help. I got him his backpack, and helped him with the straps. I put on my flip flops and he took my hand and out the door we went. There were about five other kids at the bus stop, each looking tiny, each holding on to their mom or dad’s hand. We stood there for about 10 minutes, none of the mother’s really talking to each other, but I think my own look of trepidation was mirrored in each of their eyes. As the bus rounded the corner, I felt myself squeeze Corey’s hand just a bit tighter. If I held on, I could delay the inevitable for just a few more minutes. Corey squeezed back and moved to let go.

“Bye, Mommy! You’ll be here when I get home, right?”

I just nodded, not trusting myself to speak. This was an exciting day for him, I wasn’t going to ruin it with any tears. He looked so little going up those stairs, but he turned back and waved at me and then got on the bus looking forward to his first day.

That year was a crazy one for us. Corey started kindergarten in September, and right about that time Roy and I started looking for a house and planning our wedding. Crazy, I know! Well, we finally found the house, a cute little fixer upper. We finalized all the details for our wedding, and in December we moved in and got married. My original plan was to drive Corey to school and pick him up. That would allow him to finish out his first year of school in ONE classroom, with one teacher and one group of friends. All of that worked out just fine for about a month, until one freezing morning my car wouldn’t start. I should say, it was an old minivan that my parents gave me. Roy was at work. We didn’t know anyone in the neighborhood, and Corey was stuck. That day I sat him down and explained the situation to him. I asked him what he wanted to do and told him that we would work it out.

He sat at the dining room table, boxes of unpacked things still surrounding us on the floor and munched on his sandwich. His little legs were swinging back and forth, and I stared into his blue, blue little boy eyes.

“Well, what if I went to the school up the street? Then I could ride the bus.”

It was such a simple solution, but somehow I felt better making it knowing he was on board. The boys had such a busy month I was afraid one more change would be too much.

But that is simply how Corey meets many challenges. He is very much like me in many regards, when faced with something overwhelming he will at first balk and fuss and whine, but realizing sometimes things have to get done, he buckles down and does what he has to do. I saw that determination in his eyes that first day of school, when he walked with such confidence up steps that were almost too big for him and took his seat on the bus.