Little traditions
On the days I take the girls to school, Avery and I have a little routine. We drop Zoe off in her classroom (her school has an earlier start time than the preschool) and then head to the lobby so I can get a cup of coffee. (“There’s milk today, Mama!” Avery often cries out – because she knows I can’t drink black coffee, and she knows from my grumblings that sometimes they forget to put out the milk.) Avery shakes and pours the little packets of sugar and stirs my coffee, then we chat a bit and make our way across the playground to her school. There, I help her put away her jacket and lunchbox, give her a big hug, and wave to her from the window on my way out.
Coffee stirring, backpack placing, waving: These aren’t terribly exciting things. But I’ve been thinking a lot lately how it’s these kind of things – the small actions, the little moments – that add up to something so big, and I know I’ll someday be filled with nostalgia for this time. In just 10 short school days, Avery will be done with preschool, and we won’t be doing these things, at least not exactly how and where we do them now, ever again. So for now I’ll relish our coffee dates and window good-byes.
-M
