Honesty

It was Jonah's weekend...a weekend of celebration of many things.

But I'll just start with this...

Kindergarten.

Seems like yesterday we put him on the big yellow bus for the first time.

He was so brave and excited.

Fast forward to this weekend. On this graduation day....rain. He looks forward to rainy mornings. Isn't that great? Maybe we all should have dinosaur umbrellas?

His favorite people were there. There was singing. Months of the Year his class performed. He was so handsome dressed up in his khaki pants and polo shirt. My little blonde hair, blue eyed man...looking so grown up.

Cousin Kadee hung the moon. Did you know that? She can do no wrong. She's Kadee! Perfect in every way! Both of my kids love her tremendously...and as the same as her love for them. It's obvious. She was the first to speak and make sure Mrs. Sheffield had an award for Jonah. Jonah was second to say if Kadee could have one too?

And oh, Aunt Kelly was there. She lifts Kadee up to hang the moon. She's the one that spoils them and gives them unconditional love always. She would give them the moon to keep if she could.

And time for awards.

I held my breath as children received awards for perseverance and such. Not sure what in the world she would recognize in our boy. It's been a roller coaster year! And then it came....

Honesty.

Smile. I sat there taking pictures and thinking to myself....he's so honest. When's he's a bad boy, he tells me, ha! He tells me exactly what went wrong.

"Jonah, how was your day today?"

"Not good Mommy."

"What happened?"

"I was talking in the hallway."

It is so incredibly difficult to discipline a child who is so honest and truthful. Most of the time I just say, "Well, try harder tomorrow!" We always tell him to just tell us the truth and he will not be in trouble. Did we actually accomplish something here? So proud.

"Pretty much all the honest truth telling in the world is done by children." ~Oliver Wendell

We've been blessed with the best nannies in the world! They have loved our kids like their own and even left their wonderful, special marks on them. It's a wonderful thing when your kids don't want their nanny to leave when you get home. It truly is. We love you Laura and Kelly! We were so glad you both could make it!

And...there's something special about a Grandparent's love. I see it through their eyes when they look at them...all four of their babies. I look forward to feeling that myself one day. I just don't think I can truly understand it till I get there....but I got a good idea anyway.

Spoil 'em good!

Our proudest Kindergarten moment is right here. If you haven't seen this, it is Jonah's performance in the Avery Elementary Talent Show. It was all his idea.

There were tears when he was done. Happy, proud tears. I tear thinking of it right now. Looking at my love and seeing the same familiar joy in his face. That's our boy. That's your big brother Jesse! You rock Jonah.

So, back to honesty.

In the words of Mark Twain, "If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything."

I like that. Jonah's got it right.

We love you.

First grade sounds so serious, doesn't it?