Handsaker Family Blog: The Beginning

I knew Georgia starting kindergarten would stir some emotion, I think that's true for every parent. You wonder how this moment could be here already.. didn't we just stop swaddling you and using a highchair? For me, memories were swirling around and I was feeling so grateful as we counted down the days.

The night before the first day of kindergarten I put the kids to bed early, packed a snack, a lunch and made sure Georgia had everything she needed for the first day. I picked up the house then crawled into bed and started to cry. All I could think about was the countless times Georgia had been sedated for procedures and biopsies and bone marrow aspirates. I would be with her until the Propofal took effect, then be shown the door to leave. Every time more agonizing than the last.

I kept thinking I needed to snap out of it, what was wrong with me, we're here, she's starting kindergarten, she's healthy! I settled on something that I've known was true for a while now. For the time being, Georgia having cancer is my thing, in some ways it's had more of an impact on my heart than her body. She's a happy girl who just wants to live life, she literally wakes up singing and smiling. I want to keep that going for as long as humanly possible. So, I sucked it up and cheered her on all the way to the bus.

She had a fantastic first day. She was up at 6:45am ready to go. She asked about 10 times if it was time to walk to the bus stop and when it was she obliged me with a few more pictures. I had asked if she wanted me to meet her at the school to make sure she found her classroom, she politely declined. I knew she was ready for this day. She barely turned around to say goodbye when the bus arrived, she took the seat behind the bus driver and was all smiles. As the bus drove away I smiled, with a giant lump in my throat, I couldn't be more proud.

When I got home my phone popped up with a picture from Time Hop, an app that shows you posts you've made on this date in the past. Four years ago on September 8th, Georgia had a visit from her cousins, they came over wearing their Team Georgia shirts, Georgia had just had an MRI and her first ever NG tube placed, this was the picture.

September 8, 2011

Like most parents, I posted my child's first day of school picture on Facebook and smiled at the amazing comments that poured in, my favorite was from Mr. Germany, congratulating her and reminding me that Kindergarten is a German word, I told him I thought Georgia should get extra credit for that!

September 8, 2015

When it was time to pick up Georgia from the bus, Leo was happy to retrieve his sister, he missed her! Georgia came bounding off the bus and went straight to her brother and gave him a giant hug. She was just as she'd been when we saw her last, all smiles.

I did my best not to pester her too much about her day but when we sat down for dinner she shared a few details from the day.

She played on the monkey bars and swings during recess with two other girls.
She made a new friend on the bus named Lucy.
She had TWO recesses.
If she could be the teacher one day she'd teach math.. "you know mom, like, 3+3=6 and 5+5=10"
She sits at square shaped table with three other girls.

After explaining what rating was, she said that she would rate her day as a nine, because it was so great, but she knew tomorrow would be even better.

Day two proved to actually top day one for Georgia, she seems to be smitten with a boy. She was very giggly when she got off the bus this afternoon and didn't want to walk with me, she wanted to walk with our neighbor, Jaden. Before parting ways, they both asked if they could have a play date, his mom and I are working out the details. Later, when I asked what her least favorite thing about the day was, she thought a minute then said, "nothing, it was all good." When I asked her what her most favorite thing was, she replied with a goofy smile, "playing with Jaden at recess." I smiled, tried to be very nonchalant saying, "oh, that's great." Inside my head I was freaking out a little, knowing this is just the beginning. But for us, the beginning is a great place to be.