First day. Family Photographer Portland

Today we got up…earlier than we have in a very long time. I rubbed his back as his big brown eyes winced against the light coming in his window. I was very in the moment as I reminded myself to remember this. These moments.

We sat with him, my husband and I, at the Breakfast table….just the three of us and for some reason I blurted out to my sleepy New Kindergartener on his first day of school ” You know….when you first came home from the hospital you fell asleep in your car seat on the way home and we walked into our apartment and set you down. Kicked off our shoes and fell into the silence. I looked at Daddy and said “O.k. What now?”.

Now Turned into:
Learning to sleep   learning to crawl, walk, laugh,   learning to trust   learning to live across the United States alone   learning a new culture   learning to let go   learning how to live with the messes   learning to appreciate the wonderful and let go of the not so wonderful    learning how to say I’m sorry to my child   learning to say goodbye to friends   learning to build legos   learning to make new friends   learning to share with our little brother learning to hold our sister   learning to push a stroller   learning to support one another   learning each other’s boundaries  learning how to discipline and how to be respectful

….and learning that Love is nothing like we romanticized it to be.

The silence was similar this morning as the three of us sat eating breakfast. Our family has always been the three of us. Every new step as parents we take with him. A whole new chapter has opened up in our home, and it will take some time to get our bearings.  I couldn’t be more thrilled…..and sad.