i was so afraid of you that i was unable to take a full breath for at least two weeks before we ever met.

turns out…you were practically perfect in everyway.

i crossed my fingers and held my breath and hoped and hoped that it would be a love-and-be-loved experience for both of them, and it certainly was.

you noticed their kindness, and you let them know. you nurtured and encouraged their strengths, and you let them know that too.

you paid attention.

you noticed the times they sped up, and encouraged them to slow down.

you were paying attention when they slowed down, and discerned whether they were legitimately tired, or needed to press on.

you allowed them the space to blossom into their own selves completely – socially, emotionally, cognitively, and academically.

you provided an atmosphere they couldn’t get enough of…they never wanted to miss a day.

who cares about the alphabet or counting from 0-50? everyone will get there on his own time.

you cared about the important stuff. about the ability to stand up for one’s self. about the nature of kindness and compassion. about teaching children to feel confident in their own bones and skin. about how to accept and appreciate the light that shines in all people. about valuing and honoring the differences in all beings.

i was struck by a blast of fear on the days leading up to my homies joining your universe.  as usual, all i needed to do was take a deep breath and walk confidently through that barrier of fear to find all the bliss. all the growth. all the comfort. all the community. all the things i did not even know were available to a pre-school mom.

i’m a grateful human. i practice gratitude day in and day out.

today, i would like you to know how grateful i am for the foundation of learning and social integration you have set for our children. i could not have hand picked a better set of humans to offer my wee peeps their introduction to the world of academia.

i don’t apologize for the fear i felt before i handed them over to you. it was legitimate, it was real.

i am operating in a universe far from family and far from friends. i am skeptical and nervous about the people my people spend their days with.

i would choose the two of you time and time again from infinite seas of qualified folk to be the forces that introduced my darlings to the world of learning.

i bow my heart in gratitude for the two years of your lives you have spent nurturing the love of learning to Betty and Devlin. they are better for it…and so am i.

you are great. i am grateful.