Graduate.

A couple of weeks ago, Ethan graduated from preschool.

I sat on the edge of my seat through most of the ceremony, wondering how he would do.  He barely sang a single note of any song, but he did stay in his spot on the stage for the entire program.  That, my friends, is a smashing success in our book! Between inheriting his daddy's attention span and his mama's shyness, I don't think we have a performer on our hands!

My favorite part of the whole morning was after his class marched in and found their places on the stage.  The entire time, Ethan was intently studying the faces in the crowd, searching for us.  We were in the very back of the sanctuary and you would have thought we were waving down Jesus himself.  I willed Ethan to look in our direction, towards our flailing arms and gigantic grins, and when he finally found us he flashed the most precious, relieved smile, paired with the sweetest wave you've ever seen.

And, yes.  I cried.

Now, I'll be the first to admit -- the preschool graduation is a bit of a silly event.  The pint-sized caps and gowns are a bit excessive -- and what am I really going to do with a preschool "diploma"? But I would flail my arms and pose for pictures and remind Ethan of just how proud I am all over again simply because it all reminds me...

Every breath that child takes, every inch he grows, every milestone he reaches reminds me that God is good and faithful and worthy of our praise.  Had you interviewed doctors on the night Ethan coded, I'd be willing to bet most of them would have never envisioned a preschool graduation in his future.  But God knew, and day after day in that ICU he breathed peace into our hearts.

So that day, as I lavished Ethan with love and kisses and "I'm so proud of you"s, I breathed out praise and thanks to the one who created him -- to our Savior who sees us, and knows us, and delights in us.  That day was such a sweet reminder for me.

But, back to the graduate.

The day before his graduation, on his last full day of Pre-K, I snapped a photo of him and posted a side-by-side to Instagram.  The picture on the left was taken on his first day in September and the picture on the right was taken just a short eight months later.

Eight months!

We have a relaxed summer ahead of us before we set-out on the next leg of this journey -- kindergarten.  I am over the moon about the school he'll be attending and I can't wait to see how he'll flourish there! Just imagine that before and after photo...

Thanks for checking in and for loving our boy.  To God be the glory, great things He has done!