My Morning Joy

There is something bittersweet about watching your youngest (and last) child grow. Watching Nick get older with each passing year is bittersweet. For the past 6 weeks I have had the joy of putting Nick on the school bus every morning. Who would think that such a task would truly fulfill my day but it does. I love it and don't ever want it to end. This is new for me because when Jay went to preschool, he too rode the bus but he went to the afternoon preschool so he was already at Christy's/daycare when the bus picked him up. I never once saw him get on that bus, kind of sad as I think about it now.
Every morning, Nick, Jay and I wait for the bus on a country road with several other children. When Nick sees the bus come over the hill, he gets in line with the other kids, with his hand out, waiting for me to hold it and accompany him on the bus. I walk him onto the bus and put him in the same seat and buckle his seat belt. And every morning he requests the same goodbye.......a hug, a kiss and a cuddle, which involves us rubbing cheeks. I promptly exit the bus and watch for his little hand to wave goodbye out the window as I watch the bus leave. No matter what kind of a morning I have had, those small, yet innocent requests of a hug, a kiss, a cuddle and a sweet wave goodbye always make my day!