To My Daughter on Her First Day of Kindergarten

I can't believe the day is here already. It just seems like yesterday that I was holding you in my arms and now you are waving at me out of the window from your seat behind the bus driver. You had such a smile on your face and I could barely watch without tears flowing down my face. My baby is heading to "big people" school. I am scared for you. I know that you will do well, but how will other people treat you? I dread the day you come home crying because someone said something mean to you or didn't include you in something. I would love for you to stay home with me forever, but I know how important it is for you to learn to deal with these issues. I want to protect you, but the only thing I could do for you today was pray to God to watch over you and protect you and to let nothing happen to you that you couldn't deal with. I watched the clock all day wondering what you were doing. When it was lunch time I looked at your empty chair and wondered if had already eaten your lunch and if you sat with anyone.

Finally, it was time to walk to your bus stop and wait for the bus driver to safely deliver you back to me. I was so relieved to see you sitting on the bus and the look of joy when you saw me waiting for you. You were so proud. The first words to me where "whew, what a long day." You have no idea. It seemed liked eternity before I saw you on that bus again this afternoon. I am so relieved that you made it through the first day of school unscathed. I felt like I was walking on clouds back to the house with my little girl beside me telling me about her day. I couldn't believe how much you have grown up. I am so proud of you.

I know there will be days when you won't be coming off of the bus smiling. I hope that God will give me the words to make everything feel better. I will be praying for you everyday. I will pray for God to give you the strength to resist temptation, the knowledge to know when you are being tempted, the desire to teach others about Him and protection from evil doers.

I am so proud and grateful that you are my daughter. I will always love you.