The big day is on the horizon

How is this possible? August 14th is the beginning of a new era in his life and mine. I can’t believe he starts kindergarten in less than three weeks.

I was looking through some photo albums last week and was reminiscing over five years worth of pictures of Cooper.

I thumbed through newborn photos I took of him, pictures of him crawling and a picture of him with his first fish he caught in the pond where I grew up fishing.

I am not going to cry the day I drop him off.

I have been taking him to daycare/preschool since he was six months old. He has been in a school setting a long time. I already drop him off and pick him up.

We have already been through homework, work sheets and reading practice.

To me, he is just changing schools. His excitement and anticipation is booming. He has been ready for big boy school for months.

Kindergarten has been on his mind since he toured Hugh Goodwin back in the spring.

On that day, he decided he wanted that to be his school. He had no desire to tour any other school.

I could tell he felt comfortable there.

He wasn’t afraid or nervous. His personality has always been outgoing and bubbly. He is always up for a challenge. I told him before school starts, I would take a day off and we would have a fun day.

He said we needed to fish and ride four wheelers. I told him that sounded perfect to me.

I think we need pizza and snow cones or ice cream to top it off.

Cooper wanted to know if we would still get to hunt since he has to be at school.

I told him that hunting together would be the same as it has always been. Evenings and weekends will always be our hunting time.

He is worried he will miss hunting because of school.

He is ready to turn six in December so he can take his first deer.

I told him he would not miss his chance at his first deer. He will never be in school for his birthday since it falls on Christmas Eve.

He will get to enjoy the Christmas modern gun hunt along with the youth hunt in January.

I assured him he would have plenty of time to get his first deer.

I explained to him that he gets holiday time for school. I showed him Thanksgiving break, Christmas break and spring break along with a couple of Monday holidays.

I also explained that I’m saving my vacation days for hunting season so I can take time off to get his first deer.

I know I better get ready for the time to fly because I will turn around one day and he will be going to high school.

Pictures? Questions? Comments? Send them to katiem@eldoradonews.com.