Magical

Lucy is in her last week at day care

Specifically, we have 5 days left there

I’m not sure who is taking it the hardest: Sean, Lucy or me

But its time

Lucy is ready for kindergarten

She’s ready for the challenge

She wants to learn to read and to do math

And she can’t wait to have homework

She’s ready to meet new friends

She’s ready to grow up

But, Lucy is afraid Miss Julie and her friends will forget her

She wonders who will replace her, who will wash the dishes for Miss Julie and who will check on Miss Barbara in the morning

She’s not worried about making new friends – but she is worried about keeping her old friends

Lucy’s worried about who will wait with Jack until his Dad gets there to pick him up because that’s why she likes to stay late

And what if Jake makes a friend who likes animals as much as I do, will we still like animals together?

She asked me last night, as we were getting ready for bed, if I would still call John, Pam, and Monica for play dates or do half sleep overs and Friday Fun night even though everyone is at different schools

We will Lucy, we’ll still see them

But not all of them right Mumma?

I sort of cocked my head to the side

What do you mean Luce?

Well, I mean when we all go off to kindergarten, even though we all want to still see each other and call and stuff, someday, we won’t will we?

I hesitated

So Lucy kept talking

Mumma, I know you told me that missing someone is good because it reminds you of how much you love them but….well…..

She was standing at her bed side sort of swinging side to side….

Mumma? Why do we have to miss anyone? Why can’t we always stay where are? I just want to always be with Miss Julie even in kindergarten….why do we have to change anything? It’s working pretty good isn’t it?

It is honey…..

So why do I have to miss anyone? Why do we have to go to different schools? I mean I want to be in Mrs Dionne’s class and make new friends but can’t I keep Miss Julie and the friends I already have?

Lucy looked like she was on the verge of tears and there was a catch in her voice

I felt my eyes start to fill up and I hugged her

Honey you will always have Miss Julie and your friends from Wonder Years….we still see Ben and Chase don’t we? And they’re from your very first day care from when you were a teeny tiny baby

Yeah but Mumma we don’t even see them as much anymore….everyone is always busy…

He voice trailed off and she hopped up into my lap

Mumma?

Hmm?

Think we’ll still see Jack sometimes at the 99? He likes to go there and so do I….

I hope so honey

Mumma maybe we can ask John Cronin if we can meet them at 99 sometimes for dinner so I won’t miss them

We can do that

I’ll miss the Cronin’s Mumma

I know Luce…me too

In my head I was thinking I already miss them….and the Ryle’s….and Miss Julie…and Miss Barbara, Miss Sara, Miss Jennie, Miss Melissa….the list goes on and on

I’ll miss seeing the same parents every day at pick up

And I’ll miss the kids

I’m that parent at pick up who hangs out and colors with the kids or reads to them

Sometimes we stick our hands in the trays of corn starch and water squelching the mixture between our fingers

Or we mold things out of Play Doh and draw with stencils

My favorite is when the stickers, glues sticks and foam pieces are out for us to just make whatever we fancy 

I inspect their Lego ships or check out the train tracks they built

One day, I played Crazy Eights with the kids for over an hour – Molly won almost every game

On more than one occasion, a parent mistook me for a teacher – but there is no way I am even in the same class as those women

The teachers at Lucy’s school have been amazing – more amazing than I could ever dream of being

They’ve been kind, patient, loving, fair and firm

They’ve been educators, caregivers, band aid appliers, and Miss Julie can cure anything with a brown paper towel dampened with cold water

For me and Sean, as parents, they’ve been anchors, beacons and examples

I’m not kidding you when I say that without Julie and Barbara, I am not convinced we would have made it through the last two years

They have loved and appreciated Lucy as fiercely and as much as we do

And they have been ever so patient with us as parents

Never pointing out anything we’ve done wrong or mistakes we’ve made but instead, gently prodding us to stay the course and be consistent

We’ve been struggling to maintain enthusiasm about kindergarten while hiding our own angst about leaving

And it is getting harder and harder

I can’t wait for Lucy to get to kindergarten – I know it is what she needs

I know she is ready

I just wish…..I just wish we could stay a little longer in the bubble that is Wonder Years

I will never know how to thank all these woman for taking such good care of Lucy – and of Sean and me when we needed it

But I know how lucky we are they all came into our lives

I can’t remember what night it was, but on the drive home, Lucy pipes up from the back seat

Hey Mumma

Yeah Luce

You and Miss Julie talk a lot

I laughed

I know honey, sorry about that

You always talked a lot with Miss Barbara too

I know

And Miss Jennie, but mostly Barbara and Julie

Hmm, yeah

Is that ‘cause you love them?

Sure Luce

She giggled

You can love my teachers?!?

Of course, I love them for loving you so much and taking such good care of you

Even though I’m a handful?

I laughed

Yes, even though you are a handful

Mumma?

Yeah

Are you gonna miss them too?

I will Luce, I will miss them a whole bunch

And John Cronin and Jack and Emily?

Yep

‘cause we see them every day

Yep….I’ll miss everyone I said

Me too…..

Mumma?

Yeah Lucy?

I hope all my teachers in my whole life are like Miss Julie

Yeah, I hope so too

‘cause if they are all like Julie, I will learn to be so smart

You will

And if they are like Miss Barbara Mumma, I will be so kind…and dress really nice…..And Mumma! If I 

have a teacher like Miss Jennie, she can teach me to draw better than I do

I chuckled

Yep, you sure can learn a lot from your teachers

Lucy went quiet

When we pulled up to the house she asked

Are you gonna cry on my last day at school with Miss Julie?

Probably honey

I already know Miss Julie is, she told me so

Well, it’s hard for Miss Julie honey, she loves you all so much, and it’s hard for her to see you all go

Yeah….boy she sure has a lot of love in her that Miss Julie

She sure does Lucy

Just like Miss Barbara

Yep

Must be hard Mumma

What’s that Luce?

To have so much love inside you

Hmm, well, I imagine it’s actually quite easy

Is it ever hard, Mumma, to have all kinds of love?

Hmm, I don’t think it’s hard to have love…..but sometimes I bet it’s hard to find people to give it to…..and sometimes it’s hard for people to take

I like having Miss Julie love me….

So do I Luce

You know what Mumma?

What?

Having Miss Julie love me makes me happy and fuzzy

I laughed

That’s one way to say it I agreed

And magical is how it felt when Miss Julie and I danced in the rain

Yep

Mumma?

What

Will Miss Julie dance in the rain with other kids?

She might

If she does, they will be so lucky

Yes, yes they will Lucy

Mumma?

Yeah?

Tell me about the day Miss Julie and I danced in the rain again……

So I told her the story:

A week or so ago, Lucy and I were at school late

Julie and I had been talking and Lucy was flouncing around cleaning

Miss Julie and I finally finished and I announced it was time to leave

Lucy did not want to leave

Specifically, she did not want to leave Miss Julie

So Julie offered to walk us out

She scooped Lucy up and we walked down the hall towards the door

It had been raining, torrential downpours, on and off throughout the day

And by the time got to the door, the rain was falling harder and faster than it had been all day

We stood at the door for a minute or two when all of a sudden, the rain turned to hail

It’s hail! Look Lucy, exclaimed Miss Julie pointing out the glass door, it hail!

It looks like marshmallows! Lucy shrieked

Like cloudy with a chance of meatballs I said

It’s amazing isn’t it Luce? asked Miss Julie

The three of us stood for a few minutes watching, mesmerized, as the hail fell

When it stopped, the sun tried hard to come out and the clouds opened up even wider pouring big raindrops down onto the ground with visible splishes and splashes

Julie scooped Lucy back up

No Julie, stay here I said, I don’t want you to get all wet

We’ll make a run for it right Lucy?

Lucy giggled and threw her arms around Julie’s neck

I opened up the door and Miss Julie, Lucy snug in her embrace, darted out into the rain

We dashed across the parking lot to the car

But Miss Julie stopped halfway there and I turned to see her and Lucy with their arms wrapped around one another twirling in the rain, their faces turned upward as they laughed, giggled and I think one of them may have been humming or singing – or it could have just been screeches of delight

Their twirling stopped and Julie ran to the car, set Lucy in her seat with a quick hug and a peck and dashed back into the building

I buckled Lucy in and we headed home as a steady stream of rain fell upon the roof of the car

It was loud and rhythmic and relaxing  

Our clothes were soaking wet and out feet were sliding around in our wet shoes

Rain water rolled off our heads down our faces and fell into our laps

Honey! Was that so crazy?!? The hail and rain?

It was Mumma!

And was it so crazy running and dancing in the rain with Miss Julie?!

No Mumma….it was magical……it was just magical….Miss Julie danced in the rain with me!

I turned around to see Lucy gazing out the window with a secret smile on her face and her hands resting serenely over her heart

Mumma! She gasped, Miss Julie danced with me! We twirled and danced in the rain!

You did honey

Lucy’s grin now spread from ear to ear and the lilt in her voice was intoxicating

I am so lucky Mumma

You are

Lucy sighed, leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes

After I finished telling her the story, Lucy sat with a silly grin on her face

Hey Mumma

Yes

You know how people have super powers?

I looked at her quizzically

You know, like how Spiderman has webs in his hands, Superman flies, Green Lantern is fast and green and Batman has a growly voice…

Oh yeah, sure, I know what you mean…

I think I know what Miss Julie’s super power is

What’s that Lucy?

Magical happy love! And that she can read

Wow, those are good super powers to have

Yep, she is like a super lady that Miss Julie

She sure is Lucy

Mumma?

What kiddo?

Mumma, I love you the most but I love Miss Julie too

I know honey – and that makes me happy

So would it be okay with you if Miss Julie has super powers and you don’t?

Yes honey

Ok good – but you’re still my best Mumma

I know honey

Ok….hey Mumma

Hmm

Maybe if Miss Julie has super powers, she should have a cape…

Oh ok yeah, that stands to reason

So we should get her one….and a mask…

Should we get her a wand and a tiara too? I ask

She’s Super Julie Mumma! Not some fairy mother!

Oh, sorry

So just a cape and a mask…..and a hug

Ok Lucy

And maybe a hardboiled egg because she likes eggs

Ok Lucy…anything else?

A plane……and some new books

Ok – that it

That should do it – oh maybe a picture of me and her so she remembers me

Honey, something tells me Miss Julie will remember you for a long time to come

Maybe Mumma, but a picture is a good ‘minder

It is – so is that it?

Yep, that’s it *sigh*

You okay?

Yeah, I was just thinking

What were you thinking?

I made some good memories with Miss Julie and my friends

You did Lucy….

I’m pretty lucky Mumma

You are

Think Miss Julie is lucky?

I do honey because I think Miss Julie has one of the best jobs in the world

Yeah….but so do you Mumma

Oh honey, that’s sweet but my job isn’t that great

Yes it is Mumma! Don’t say that!

Honey, Mummy’s jobs is sort of….well….

Mumma! she yells

YOUR JOB AS MY MUMMA IS THE BESTEST JOB N THE WHOLE WORLD AND DON’T YOU 

FORGET IT!!!!!

I won’t Lucy, I won’t ever forget it

I promise

Thanks for reminding me

And thank you Wonder Years – thank you for taking such good care of all three of us