My Sunbeam

Last Sunday, my sister-in-law told me that Caitlin would be in the Sunbeam class the next Sunday. I was taken by surprise... I thought, "She can't be that old yet!" But indeed, she is!

Today was Caitlin Nadine's first day of Primary!

I drew on the chalkboard and had her write her name underneath! She was so excited to write on the chalkboard, too! It was a proud moment for me to watch my baby write her own name.

Caitlin didn't do very well during the Sunbeam class. She was afraid of her new teacher, and even though Charles and I told her that she would be okay, she wouldn't calm down and stay. She didn't attend class. By sharing time, she was ready to participate and play with the older kids! She did very well and we heard awesome reports!

Caitlin is writing her own name and is in Primary... is this for real?! It makes me miss the first few weeks after she was born. In those weeks, I would just stare at her and think of all the things Caitlin would do in her life! My mind reached far and high with the endless possibilities she has ahead of her. A whole world of opportunities. But I think I forgot that she needed to take baby steps to get to those places. She still needed to learn how to write her name!

I taught her that. I spent countless hours singing the "ABC" song with her and countless hours side by side with her writing each letter of the alphabet over and over again. I took those moments for granted! I mean, I cherished the time we spent together, but I guess I forgot that she was going to be able to do things without my help someday. She wouldn't need me to spell out her name and show her how to write each letter...

She's growing too fast. It makes me sad.

But it has to happen this way. She's my oldest! She is my helper! I have grown to love Caitlin in ways that only a mother can. I see things in her that I wish I still had... an endless curiosity for everything around me, a constant desire to learn and grow... I think that I find myself caught up in the day-to-day hustle and I forget to stop and look around. Smell the roses. Watch my little girl grow up.

It is happening right before my eyes and I am powerless to slow it down.

I thank God each and every moment of each and every day for Caitlin! I love that girl SO much!