Ukraine Adoption

The Tara-trooper

I bent down on one knee and gave my sweet four-year-old daughter with the blueberry-scented hair a strong hug. This is always the hardest part, saying good-bye in the morning. But today was Tara's first day at her new pre-school, the one close to home. We had just put away her bathing suit, towel, water shoes, sheet, blanket, dolphin, extra clothes and lunch box in her new cubby in her new classroom. She is in the group called the Dolphins. And then we went to the playroom where the children get dropped off in the morning.

Two little boys and a girl were sitting at the crafts table playing with some bright pink but gooey play-doh. A few other children were coloring. Then there was this little boy who must have been just two years old who was wailing, and I mean wailing. The other children were trying not to look alarmed. Sometimes crying is contagious. I stuck around until that boy settled down.

The playroom is large and bright with lots of windows that look out onto a playground that includes a big sand box and some tricycles on a track. Tara was on the waiting list for this coveted pre-school for more than a year. When I tell anyone in our area that she is attending this school, they always say it's a wonderful place and she'll love it.

But that doesn't make it easy to leave her behind, especially on the first day. The little trooper, she marched right in but then stayed close to me. There were no familiar faces; her teacher had not yet arrived. But there were no tears today. Another teacher walked over and took her hand and offered to show her around. Tara looked at me and I smiled and nodded my head. She softly said "bye" and went with the teacher. I ducked out and watched from the hallway window as they made their way around the room, checking out the play areas. You'd think I had never left her at school before. The first day is always hard. Especially for me.