The Kindergartener

Dear Eden,

Today you are almost five and a half years old. You just celebrated your third anniversary with your new heart. And you are officially a Kindergartener. Since you have a history of separation anxiety and a mild hatred of anything school related (i.e. crying for pretty much an entire year of Montessori pre-school drop off), we were a bit concerned about how you were going to do. Last year, before starting back to pre-school, we made a big deal out of your return. Everyday during that last week of summer, we did something special that would prepare you for another year of school - like clothes shopping, making a summer album, even a fancy back-to-school dinner. And long story short, it didn't work. You. Were. Devastated. Fast forward a year of happier, shorter days, with affectionate Catholic School teachers and you improved. More than improved, you thrived. However, we were still nervous as to how you would do with Kindergarten because we learned a little something about you in that 2 year process. You don't do well with change and you take a while to warm up to new situations... sometimes, a long while... look at your transition from womb to Earth! Not good. So when the opportunity came up for you to go to a language immersion school we knew it was a bad idea. Why on earth would we change your school, once you were finally adjusted, comfortable, and dare I say... happy?? And to top it off, you wouldn't know a soul and they wouldn't speak your language. Well, your dad and I met in Bolivia and have always dreamt of passing on our love for the Spanish language to you and your brother. So after much thought and research, we did what any good parent does... we threw you to the wolves (with your best interest in mind, of course).

And to our surprise... to our greatest amazement... YOU'VE DONE AWESOME! I may be overlooking the first day where you cried and refused to eat, but since then, seriously, you have rocked Kindergarten! What you don't know (until I give you all of these letters in a book someday) is that I have cried everyday. Yep. August and I watch as your dad walks you in that big building with your adorable uniform and enormous backpack... and I cry like a baby. Even though you are so much bigger, stronger and brighter than we ever expected you could be, this is the baby I have sent off to Kindergarten:

Eden Raine Murphy, 1 day old.


You are my miracle.
You are my daily gift.
You are my Kindergartener.