And Off He Goes... // Our Jonas Starts School!

I was sitting at the dining table this morning, laptop out, getting some work done, when my mind went wistfully again to this little space. I can't tell you how I miss it, and yet how the backlog of events and things to record feels slightly overwhelming. I need to write up birthday parties and holidays, back to school feasts and school starters... I know I don't need to record these things for other people, but over the years this spot has become my online diary, a place to display all my photographs and record the details... and while my favourite posts to write are the every day ones, I don't want to miss the big events either.

So I'll lay the parties and holidays to one side for now, and focus on this one instead...

My biggest boy started school!

Oh my goodness... he was so excited, and ready. And being the chillaxed little character that he is has just taken it all in his stride. He's the one I have to chase down across the classroom to get a backward glance, never mind a goodbye hug!

Oh my Mama heart!

Our dear Jonas,

It has been such a joy to have you at home these past 4 years. You are a true little friend, a chirpy little personality to have around, and a sociable little character. Your first four years have been fairly eventful, the second year of your life consisted of napping through hammering and drilling while our house was turned upside down by building work, and then a couple of months before you turned 2, you became a big brother. It has been such a flurry of activity, and yet in the middle of it all, you have remained cool, calm and collected. You truly do take everything in your stride, nothing seems to phase you, and you're generally happy and contented to spend your days chatting, bundling your brother, and collecting all sorts of random nic-nacs in your pockets and rucksack.

I honestly dread going in there!

You are such a fun, smiley, generous and quirky little character - and truly the best big brother. You and Elias are just the best of friends and I'm not entirely sure how he's going to handle not having his best buddy around. I love watching you with him... how you check on him, are affectionate with him, and how the pair of you collapse into ridiculous giggles over your repeated toilet humour... boys! Honestly!

I don't worry about you starting school now... to be honest, you rarely give me need for worry Jonas. You are easy-going and friendly, and will always find someone to play with. You don't take offence easily and you are loyal to your friends and your nursery teachers loved you to pieces. You will do just fine.

Me? I'll miss you like mad... I'll miss having lunch with you and tucking you up for your afternoon nap. I'll miss all the stories we read, cosied up under a duvet - those countless superhero books that you take out from the library every week and I'll miss our Monday Fun-day when you weren't in Nursery. I'll miss the funny things you say, and I'll even miss your fussiness about what t-shirt you want to wear and what shorts don't "feel" right.

But I know this is right. You are ready. You are MORE than ready. And though I can't follow you through those classroom doors and be with you every second of every day, I know I'm leaving you in the hands of the one who is always with you, who loves you even more than I do, and who has perfect plans for your life, as you grow in independence.

I'm praying you will shine your little light at that school, that you will learn the academics needed to do well in life, but more importantly that you'll learn the character that really matters, and I pray you'll be shaped and moulded by the Holy Spirit as he uses your school experience as part of your journey. My prayer is that you'll grow in patience, in kindness and compassion, in loyalty and resilience, in servant leadership and most of all, in Christlikeness. These aren't necessarily lessons you'll be taught at school, but they are lessons you'll learn in the school of life, of which your schoolday plays a part. I'm so excited to see the young man you will become as you grow and mature, though I'm not rushing these little years at all... not one bit.

For now, I'm perfectly contented, tucked under the duvet with my Jonas-boy, reading Spiderman annuals, sifting through lego cards and hearing about your dreams to one day live in a "potato house".

I think I'll park up here for a few more years.

Wir haben dich so lieb Jonas! Viel Spass bei der Schule!

Mama und Papa xxx