My Ann-With-An-E

Tomorrow Annie starts kindergarten.

She is more than ready. Her Hannah Montana backpack is by the back door, her lunchbox is packed. Her outfit is picked out, and she's already decided what she wants to ask her teacher. ("When is show and tell? Do we get to check books out of the library? Did you know that I want to be a scientist?").

Today, we went to kindergarten orientation. They asked the kids to sit in the front of the multi-purpose room, and the parents sat in chairs at the back. We listened to drop off rules, pick up rules, birthday rules, PTA stuff. The kids started to get antsy. The principal then asked the kids to stand up, and she taught them the school cheer.

My Annie- my normally ebullient, brimming-over-with-things-to-tell little girl hung her head low and didn't yell with the others. When the principal instructed the kids to head out of the room first, and that the parents would soon follow- she shot me a look. A look that said, "I'm not sure I want to do this."

This weekend, I reread, for the gazillionth time, the book "Anne of Green Gables." I adore this book. It is a large part of why I have my own "Ann-with an e". And I always get teary when Anne has to leave the island to pass hers school exams. Tomorrow, my little girl's world grows exponentially bigger. Even though her backpack is bigger than she is, and her three missing bottom teeth make her whistle when she talks, she's heading off the island. And when I look at her? I still see that chubby newborn- with the endless cheeks and know-it-all expression. Tomorrow brings new things for all of us.