carter

A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from Carter's teacher telling me he had been selected as that week's spotlight student and was going to be honored in the bi weekly student assembly. 

Needless to say, Ray and I were excited to tell Carter about the special honor he was going to receive.  When we told him at supper, he sat up straight and said, "I think I'm going to explode." 

We told him that he was going to stand up in Friday's assembly and be recognized as the spotlight student.  He didn't seem worried, or nervous, but we could tell that he was very proud.

Friday morning, we were all out the door a few minutes early so that we could get a parking place and watch the assembly. 

I'm going to interrupt the story here to say that I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a morning person.  It's all I can do every morning to get up, make breakfast, pack lunches, make sure everyone is dressed and has shoes and socks. Then there are backpacks, water bottles, snacks.  By 7:30 when Ray and the kids leave, I generally feel like I've just been through some kind of Sunday morning 5am boot camp. 

Somehow, on this Friday, I'd managed to do all my usual stuff and found the time to make myself look halfway presentable.  I stumbled out of the house with a vat of coffee in my hand, happy Ray was driving. 

Carter's Kindergarten school picture. 

When we arrived at the kids' school, Grace and Carter both took their places with their classes and Ray and I found a place to stand in the back.  We watched as Carter's teacher approached him and explained what was about to happen.  Our little boy was beaming with pride. 

Then we saw Carter and the little boy who sits next to him in class leave the gym.  There's something about watching your five year old disappear down a crowded hallway that's a bit unsettling.  Ray and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows and waited for Carter's return. 

A few moments later Carter and his friend reappeared.  They were carrying something made of cloth. 
The teacher's jacket?  Some kind of banner?  What exactly were we looking at it and why had Carter been sent to retrieve it so early in the morning?

Oh.  My.  Goodness. 

It was a tiny, kindergartner sized cape with the school's mascot sewn onto the back. 

Oh.  My.  Goodness. 

I was standing there with an enormous mug of coffee but no camera!  I tried not to panic, but I could feel the muscles in my chest tightening and the blood draining from my heart. 

My little boy was having his first big cape-worthy occasion, and I had no way of capturing the moment. 

Carter's moment of recognition went quickly, but at the end of the assembly, the principal invited all of the parents of spotlight kindergartners to head to the library for a photo op with our special students.  Just thinking about the events of the morning makes me a bit short of breath. 

On the way to the library, I spotted a mom I knew with a huge camera and asked her to please snap a few pics of Carter.  Relief, at last.  She did take pics of Carter, but weeks later, I still haven't seen them.  Whenever I see her at school she tells me she will send them to me but it hasn't happened yet. 

So, I discovered there was a display in the school honoring the spotlight students, and being the crafty photo fiend I am, I snapped a few pics of the pics.  Not as good as originals, but better than nothing. 

Above, the group photos, and below, a closeup of our caped spotlight student.  

Pictures or no pictures, it was a morning we will never forget.