Oh happy day!

See Roo. See Roo jump up and down with joy. Hear Roo. Hear Roo giggling with glee. Why is Roo so happy? Roo just completed her final day of elementary school!!!

This is an especially happy day because this has been a bit of a tough year for Kelsey. We moved last year at about this same time, and with that move came a new school. We contemplated keeping Kelsey at her previous school for sixth grade, but decided--together--to make a complete change and finish out her elementary days at the new neighborhood school. The year started off well. Kelsey had a great attitude, and was determined to make the most of being "the new girl." She ran for student council and applied for safety patrol, both of which she made. She had a great teacher whom she liked and related to from the start. Unfortunately, there were no familiar kids in her class from our neighborhood, but she met at least one new friend on the very first day. We were breathing easy, feeling secure in our decision and I was letting go of some of the guilt I had been harboring over taking Kelsey away from her school andthe friends she had grown up with.
As the year progressed Kelsey had some trouble fitting in. The kids at school had been classmates since they were young. They had established very tight knit groups a long time ago that were very reminiscent of the group of friends Kelsey had had at her previous school. She learned that it's not easy infiltrating a posse of girls that have known each other for several years! The girls were not mean, just indifferent to one that was not part of their group. By mid-year I noticed that Kelsey was kind of changing her attitude and mindset. She started counting down the days til the end of the year when her status as the "new girl" would officially end and she would join her group of friends from our old neighborhood for middle school. I saw her biding her time, patiently waiting for the days to pass until she could claim her precious place as the member of a "girl group." Kelsey is a sweetheart. She rarely complains, and makes the most of every situation she is in. She did no less this year. At times my heart would break when I would watch her in her classroom--interfacing with some of the kids, without really interacting with them. We talked about her situation, but she did not seem terribly troubled by it. I found myself joining her in her countdown, encouraging her to hang-in-there and reassuring her that next year will be different. Maybe this was not the right thing to do... Maybe I should have encouraged her to pursue more friendships and not wish away her sixth grade year...but I didn't. I understood how she was feeling and I have faith in the darling group of friends she will be rejoining in the fall that they will welcome her with open arms.
So today the school year is over. Kelsey walked in the door with a humongous smile on her face, handed me her excellent report card, deposited her stack of awards and projects on the table and just sighed...

See mom. See mom smile with joy. Hear mom. Hear mom giggling with her girls as they tell stories of their final day of school. Why is mom so happy? Mom just watched her girl make it through a tough year and come out grinning!