Finally their turn!

 Blythe and Joy had been excited for preschool for a long, long time. They were sooo excited when it was finally their turn to go to school! That makes two of us.

OK, maybe three. Abby Jane was so excited for them that she insisted that she and Jake go out after bedtime the night before to get special roses to present to the girls on their very first day of school. It was so precious to see the twins get to be extra celebrated after all the hullabaloo when Abby Jane had begun kindergarten a couple of weeks before.

 This was perhaps one of the best days of their lives to date. They were over the moon!

Last year, on Abby Jane's first day of 4 yr old preschool, I told Jake that I just didn't think I'd be able to walk away from dropping off Blythe and Joy the next year empty-handed. Meaning, I was so glad to have a twin in each hand as I dropped off my big girl. Meaning, I needed a baby before Blythe and Joy went to school. Jake's response was that HE would hold my hand. Not quite what I meant. BUT, since then, we have both become truly more than satisfied in our family of five as is, unless God really rocks our world. (I'm even consigning clothes for the first time this spring- gasp!)

BUT THEN came first day of twin preschool, and they walked into that classroom without one glance behind. I broke every cardinal rule about making a quick exit so you don't set off other kids who may be having a hard time or make your kid who was doing fine suddenly stop doing fine. I marched right into that room and grabbed my girls and gave quick hugs and kisses and I love you's.

I made it about 10 feet away from their door when I broke down in nasty big tears, and I am just the ugliest crier ever. It's a darn good thing Jake Gross WAS there to hold my hand because he stood in front of me so I didn't scare all the other little kids and mamas walking to THEIR first days of school. All the sweet ladies we had cheerfully and enthusiastically greeted on our way into the school's faces drastically changed from "so-glad-to-see-you" to "OHHHH NOOOOO blesss your heart" expressions as they saw my giveaway puffy blotchy face. They all said, "Ohh, the girls are going to be just great!" And I said, "I know!! It's just their mama!" And so began preschool.

I quickly acclimated to their two days a week gone, mostly because I never accomplish a third of what I hope to during that time. And they have the most marvelous time with the most marvelous teachers we all just love. But the fact remains that I am nowhere near in a hurry for these girls to grow out of this stage. I am trying to walk through life with kids at home as absolutely as slowly as feasibly possible. Here and there are days that feel like they last ages and perhaps my life expectancy dropped a bit, but my heart is full at the end of each one.