Culp Family News

Mya was SO excited this morning we could just barely contain her. Adam & I both stayed home this morning & thought mabye she would get a few minutes extra sleep but, of course, she popped right up & was ready to go.

I didn't even realize it until someone mentioned it to me that she wore Pickerington colors on her 1st day!

One of her favorite things right now is to stop at Tim Horton's for a doughnut. So, this morning we took her there on our way to Goddard for a special one.

We got to Goddard a few minutes early so we went into her classroom to wait for Mr. Bob the bus driver. Miss Alison offered to take our picture.

Then it was finally time to go to school!! Mr. Bob offered to let Adam & I ride on the bus with her for her 1st time. We decided we would only if Mya wanted us to so we asked her. She didn't hesitate so much as a second before saying, "No!". So, off she went all by her little 5-year-old self.

Adam & I tried to make it over to the school in time to take some pictures of her walking into school but we got hung up in traffic & missed her by seconds. When school was out I snuck over to the school, hid a sidewalk over from where she comes out, & took a couple of pictures. I felt a little like a psycho-stalker-mom but hey...there is only 1 1st day!!!

I also took a picture of Mya's teacher, Mrs. Blade's. Mya seems to like her so far. We have heard absolutely nothing but rave reviews from everyone that we've talked to that know her. Apparently, the other teacher is pretty good, too & the 2 teachers work as a team some of the time. Lots of combined activities on Fridays & things like that. So, it sounds like they are going to have a really great year.

When I picked her up this afternoon getting details out of her was a little rough but she said she liked her teacher & that she liked her class. She told us that they got to outside for recess (because that is very important!). Apparently, she sits at the Blue Table with 3 other kids, the one next to her is a boy, & she doesn't know any of their names. The teacher provides a heavy duty "Take Home Folder" that is the way homework & other papers get home to us. Mya was very excited to open up her new backpack & show us her folder & all the things that were in it today.

I have to take 1 more minute to share with all of you one of the many, many reasons why we love our Goddard so very much. All week the teachers have been stopping & asking Mya if she was excited to start kindergarten. This morning her current teacher took our picture together, hugged Mya, & told her to have a great 1st day. We head out & 2 of her old teachers are waiting for her & they both hugged her, told her how cute she looked, & wished her a good day. The director, Miss Heather, walked us out & gushed over Mya all the way. Mr. Bob was fantastic. He was very patient with us while we took pictures, let us get on the bus to see where she sits all buckled in & drove by slow so that she could wave to us. She told Mr. Bob that her mommy was crying when she left so when he brought her back to Goddard in the afternoon he told Miss Heather who pulled Mya into the office & let her call me to tell me about her day & 'make me feel better'. Then even got on the phone herself to tell me how great things seemed to be going. When I picked Mya up Mr. Bob was there & stopped to tell me how her rides went in person. ALL of that from a small staff of people that have 100 kids besides Mya to take care of. It is above & beyond anything they are required to doThey made her day all that much more special just by those few kind gestures. Love them...love them...love them.

Overall I would say it was a really fantastic 1st day! :)

August 31st

Tonight Mya went to her very 1st dance class. It is a Ballet, Tap & Tumble class. We had to buy a new leotard, new tights, & she got 3 new pairs of shoes. One for each type of dance. Plus, a dance bag to carry them in. She was SO excited about going!

She came out just as excited & said tap was her favorite. These pictures were before we got her shoes (we ordered them through the school) so I will have to get a picture later of her in her tap shoes...the whole ensemble. Way too cute!

But more importantly....

KINDERGARTEN STARTS TOMORROW!!!!!!

The teacher gave us the book The Night Before Kindergarten & we read it before bed. She doesn't know whether to be more excited about the bus ride, new books, or new friends. Adam & I are taking her to Goddard in the morning to take pictures of her getting on the bus so I will post all of them tomorrow. (After I stop crying that is!)

Today was Mya's last kindergarten assessment. It was supposed to be mainly a reading assessment. Mya did tell me that she was asked about "some letters & numbers" but I couldn't get much else out of her. I wasn't allowed in the room so I don't know firsthand. I think she did well though. She got a little wristband as she went in & was supposed to earn 2 stickers for it. She was very proud to come out with both of her stickers! She also loved seeing her classroom & said Mrs. Blades was nice. She asked for the thousandth time if she was going there tomorrow. One more day, Baby!

It has been an exhausting couple of weeks though. She passed out in the car right after the assessment today.