From the driver’s side of our Honda Odyssey I wave and you smile and wave back and give me a, “bye mom”. You then turn and head into the school. You didn’t see me snap this picture. You wave back because you aren’t actually a sixth grader. You’re a fifth grader who just happens to excel in academics and because of that you take a sixth grade math class to stay challenged. You haven’t yet become jaded by the cruelty that comes with middle school. You aren’t raging with hormones you don’t understand or worry about what someone may think of you. Your confidence is one of my favorite things about you. 

You pray before lunch without fear of being ridiculed. You aren’t afraid to dance even though you my dear boy, have no rhythm (no thanks to me-I can dance 😊). You proudly carry your Pokemon cards in your backpack. You aren’t afraid to share that watching movies with your Mom and Dad is one of your favorite activities. You aren’t ashamed that peekaboo with your four month old brother is the highlight of your day. 

The day will probably come when you’re not willing to let me read the chapter book you’re writing. The day will come when performing “concerts” with your younger brothers will no longer be fun and most definitely uncool. You probably won’t greet your teachers with hugs in the coming years the way you have at your elementary school. The harsh reality is you will become a teenager. You will quit waving back. 

That day will come. I will need to accept it because let’s be honest; a sophomore in high school smiling and waving bye to their parents when exiting the car would look a little strange. 

I don’t usually drive you to school in the mornings, but since your Dad was sick I had to today. It was bright and early and I had to get you there before going back home to get the other two kids ready and on the bus. On the way home I realize I had the priveledge of driving you to school this morning as I wiped a tear from my eye. You my oldest son, you’re one of those one in a million kids. You came into this world before you were ready weighing just 4lbs 3oz. You were born to teenaged parents who while they loved you intensely from your first breath were completely clueless of the challenge you would be. The odds were against you buddy, but you have shocked us all.  I hope you always have the confidence in yourself that you had today when you walked into that school. For what it’s worth, I would do it all over again and I’ll still feel that way when you quit waving back.