Window seat smile

One of the highlights of my day is seeing Alena off to school on the bus. It's not a highlight because she's leaving, but because her face smiling through the bus window warms my heart.

She must be kindergarten's biggest fan. The friends, her teacher, the bus ride ... she loves them all. Each day she's off to learn something new, come home spelling a new word and relate stories about classmates.

Some days my eyes get teary when she's doing her "I love you" sign as the bus drives away. It seems unfair she's gotten so big so fast. It seems impossible she's old enough to get herself to and from school everyday.

Some days I'm the one waving my "I love you" hand as wildly as possible to make sure she doesn't miss it. It seems there's never enough time to tell her just how proud she makes me. It seems time won't go quickly enough until that bus is bringing her back home again.