Ukraine Adoption

Little big graduates

We waited outside, squinting in the sun. Some of us were daring enough to sit on the tiny blue chairs carefully placed on the worn lawn. Others were standing at the ready with cameras. Here they came, down the stairs, 20 graduates of Stony Creek pre-school, all clutching their black or white caps with tassles so that the wind wouldn't steal them away.

All of the girls were in dresses and skirts, one boy in shorts was wearing cowboy boots. Tara was in the middle of the line, turning to look at her friends and laughing at the excitement of the morning.

She wasn't really supposed to be among the graduates because she has one more year before kindergarten, but she was the only one in her class with one more year and they certainly didn't want her to be left out. With her January birthday, I had convinced the director to let her be with her five friends from her previous school. They are all moving on this fall.

But this special consideration was lost on Tara, for on that bright, sunny Friday morning, she was one of the graduates. The teacher, who is expecting her first child within weeks, gave an emotional speech with her voice cracking about how proud she was of each and every one of the children.

Then the director, fighting back tears and clutching a piece of paper with her words, talked about how they were now "giving back" these precious children to their parents to continue on the journey of education. Parents tucked cameras under their arms to dab their eyes. For a flash, I was imagining how these will all be 18 year olds someday, leaving high school. How will we make it through?

They sang some songs to demonstrate that they were truly ready for kindergarten, especially shouting their ABCs. At one point, somehow on queue, they all reached into their pockets and put on star sunglasses to sing the last song. OK, how did I leave my camera at home?

Not to worry, some moms are sending me photos of these little rascals, including some candids of them afterward, looking like they're about to go off to college.

I'm glad now that Tara is moving to a new pre-school closer to home this fall; she seems ready to move on, just like her dear friends, the graduates.