It was no ordinary Monday.

Nope, this was the day that Noah, our oldest, would register for Kindergarten. And when I say that, it feels like I’m talking about some other kid. Not our kid. Not the kid who got a great score on his screening. Or the kid who now makes jokes that are actually funny. Or the kid who is a great big brother.

To say he was excited would be an understatement. Yet, when we got there, he just played it cool, standing in line with his hands in his pockets like he’s been there and done that. What a little dude.

And I think somehow, David thinks he is enrolling in Kindergarten too. It’ll be a tough day when we have to tell him he’s waiting.

As we started the day, I asked Eden if I really needed to be there. I mean, it’s just registration. He’s not actually starting for several more months. In hindsight, it was a dumb question. But, as she so often does, she set me straight with love, grace, and a clear explanation.

See, since Noah was born, I have had a few job changes that have brought some exciting new challenges and learning curves. Eden, however, gave up her career as a teacher (and she’s a great one) to fully invest in our kids. And it started with Noah.

Noah has been her longest “job” to date. So, yes, it is a bit difficult to see this stage of the “job” begin to shift.

When she explained this to me, I found a brand new appreciation for what she is doing for our family. I’ve always thought she has the more difficult job of the two of us, but this put it in a new light. In working terms, she’s been working on a project from the very beginning, and is now preparing to see someone else gain a considerable amount of influence on that project. (Side note: Until now, we’ve been all in on public school. Now that we’re here, some of the other options are still on the table.)

There’s a reason we describe projects at work by saying, “Well, that project is his baby.” It’s because there really are projects that are babies! We have one…er….three!!

Is he ready for it? Well, largely because of my wife, he’s more than ready for it. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that she feels like she’s giving up a part of her “job.”

Kindergarten. Here we come.

T