One More Year

Reason #178 why I am so grateful our Shelby-girl has another year before Kindergarten:

Naptime :)

I'm sure some people think it's crazy that Shelby still regularly naps despite the fact that she is turning five years old next month. ;)  We had a birthday party to go to this afternoon for one of Shelby's sweet little friends from school, but the party was at 1:00. She typically goes down for her nap around 1:30, but lately there are a couple days a week where she doesn't fall sleep but just "rests" in her bed. So we had planned to let her go to the party and then just have a little rest time afterwards. Well, when we got home we decided to try putting her down for a short nap b/c she was just worn out from the party. {Side note: who plans an OUTDOOR birthday party at 1:00 in AUGUST in SOUTH TEXAS?!?!} But we really weren't sure if she'd fall asleep or not b/c she was so wound up from all the birthday fun and of course the cupcake & two lollipops! ;)  As you can see from the picture above, she took quite the nap! Then as I was tucking Shelby in for bed tonight, we were recounting our favorite parts of the day & she thanked me for letting her take a nap today b/c she was so tired--I mean, seriously! What kid thanks their mom for a nap?! She really is something else! :)

For a couple months before we moved to TX, we seriously contemplated the possibility of sending Shelby to Pre-K our first year here in San Antonio and then to private Kindergarten this coming fall despite her missing the September 1st cut-off. We were having some angst about the decision and not knowing which path was the "right" one to take--sending her to private K this fall right before her 5th birthday or waiting for her to start K right before she turned six. I'm so glad I had my friend Cindy to turn to with my doubts. I taught with Cindy when we lived in VA, and I deeply respected her as a friend, a teacher, mother of 4 grown children, and an Air Force wife. I still tear up when I read the words she wrote to me:

Another year with you to help her navigate the big scary questions and situations in life is an incredible gift....The extra year at home will give her maturity to deal with ever increasing rigor in her studies as she goes through each grade. Another year to insure that she is a leader, not a follower. Another year to insure that she works and thinks independently, making thoughtful connections and observations and is a good team player...Give her that extra year to play and grow her imagination; to be care-free. Give yourself that year to relish her Shelby-ness. You and Derek only this get this one shot at the very beginning of your little family's life to be THE major influence. All too soon, you will compete with others that want your girls' time and attention. Treasure your "center of her universe" time. 

One of the hardest parts about this military life is every time we move, we are leaving behind friends who have become like family to us. But the upside is all of the sweet friends we have made along the way! These are people we certainly don't get to see every day or even for years at a time, but I know they're always there for us & when/if our paths cross again we'll pick up right where we left off.

As summer is starting to wind down and we are beginning to gear up for a new school year, Derek and I have said to each other countless times how immensely grateful we are that we have another year before Kindergarten. And every time we think about that, I think how grateful I am for Cindy!  

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Phillipians 1:3