A Permanent Record

After Brooke got out of school today, we took her down and registered her for 1st grade next year.. public school.

Its kind of bittersweet. First off, we had a lot of worries that her transfer would not be accepted into the school we wanted her to go to. Its a national blue ribbon school and basically the best elementary school in this whole area. But not the one we were zoned for. And because of budget cuts, we were told that transfers were not happening as much, if at all! Despite being told time and again from the principal (that we already knew) that Brooke would get in no problem, we still had the worry. Especially after talking to the person in charge of transfers with the school district who basically told us that it ain't happening. And that even if the principal got her in, she would probably be sent back 'home' to her home school after school started. *sigh*

Then we had a friend of ours (or Brooke's rather) also apply for a transfer that got denied that I had heard about 2 days ago. Yikes! So I was checking the mail every day with nervous hands. But alas, 2 days ago, Brooke's letter arrived and her transfer was approved!!! Yay!

Which was great and all... but now, we had to actually go down and register her. Which felt a bit to me like signing her life away. I mean, its a huge packet of information along with copies of everything that makes her life up! And now, she officially has a permanent record. Its just another milestone. Another stage. Another transition. But one that we didn't have to go through last year when all her friends were starting Kindergarten at public school. When all of those parents were shedding tears at the thought of it. We got to put it off a year (while she stayed at Montessori for K). But now, the day is here. She is registered for school, where I will ship her away for approximately 7 hours every weekday to the hands of new and different teachers, bigger classrooms, lunch rooms, new kids, and bigger halls. My baby is really growing up and moving on...

Anyway, while we were there registering her, they gave her her first ribbon...

...and everyone there is so joyful and excited for her to be there. Even though today was apparently the most inopportune time for us to go do this - it was their 5th grade graduation day - they took time out to converse with Brooke and meet her and basically make this parent feel a little more at ease with this whole emotional process. ;)

(sorry for the quality of the pics...I only had my cell phone with me)