The End of a Chapter

Luke is getting ready to walk down the aisle for graduation

Liam walking down the aisle

Their Kindergarten class (there were a total of 24 children)

Minnesota in the states and capitals song

Trying to get everyone in a picture.  Finn really just wanted Luke's hat and yellow balloon.  And, it was really hot in there!

Luke and his diploma

Very proud graduates

Enjoying cake and punch

Luke, Liam, and Aiden with two of their friends

The boys with their kindergarten teacher (back left, Ms Kristi) and main teacher (back right, Ms Beth).  Ms Beth was Luke and Liam's teacher for the last 4 years.  Ms Kristi was their kindergarten teacher and is Aiden's preschool teacher.

Aiden wanted a picture playing basketball

And another...

Finn is one the move.  Still not the most efficient at crawling, but he gets around fast!

We closed a chapter this week for Luke and Liam and will open a new one in September.  After 4 years at the Montessori school where they started at age 2.5 years, they graduated.  Their Montessori school only goes from infancy to kindergarten so next year they will be moving to the neighborhood elementary school for first grade.  We love their teachers and we had the luxury of having basically the same primary teacher for the last four years.  She knows the boys very well and we all had a difficult time saying goodbye.

I had mixed emotions about their graduation.  It was so fun to see them work hard all year and then accomplish this milestone, but it also means they will be in "real" school next year!  Over the last four years, they have enjoyed smaller classes, familiar faces, the same teachers and classmates, and a very nurturing, organized environment.  Kindergarten presented them with a chance to grow in many ways.  They are learning to read, can easily count beyond 100, they love to do addition and subtraction, they can count money, name the 50 states and capitals (in most cases), recognize all the planets in the solar system, spell several words, recognize continents, etc...

Luke and Liam will most certainly adapt to a new environment and will love first grade, but it will be much different for them next year.  Aiden will continue in preschool at Montessori so we will stay in touch with their teachers.  Nonetheless, it was the end of a chapter for Luke and Liam and the beginning of many new experiences to come.  Congratulations Luke and Liam!  It seems like only yesterday that we were bringing you home from the NICU.  It doesn't seem possible that you are old enough for first grade.

In addition to their diplomas, Luke and Liam received a little basket filled with six items and a note from their teachers.  It was really a special gift and I love the note which read:

In this special box you will find, 

A ruler to remind you that there are always rules to follow

A Hershey Kiss to remind you that you are loved

A pencil to remind you that there are still many things to learn

A marker to remind you to leave your mark wherever you go

A penny to remind you to always use good sense

An eraser to remind you that it is all right to make mistakes.

Always try your best.  You have a bright future ahead.