Graduation from Pre -K (PUMP)

Wednesday night was Zach's graduation in Palmdale from PUMP...Palmdale United Methodist Preschool. It is a regular church preschool. He has been going there since August 2007...I remember the day I registered him, I was a few weeks from giving birth to Erin and feeling so overwhelmed with the evaluations we were doing on him. I was scared about everything...how would I commit to a 45 minute drive each way with a newborn. How fair would it be for her and what would we do for almost 4 hours in town. How would he do in preschool? Would I get him potty trained? I asked for them to put him in the 2 year old classroom as a 3 year old since his verbal skills were about 18 months behind at that time and he wasn't potty trained...unlike any school in the area I contacted, they said yes. They we very willing to work with me and reassured me that a lot of the things I was concerned about would work themselves out on their own...I was anything but convinced. I spent his first day at school parked in the parking lot watching him on the playground. I sat outside his class at lunch and listened. I was not sure about any of it.
Over time I saw the changes...he loved school, was making friends and seemed to be communicating more and more at home. He moved to the 3 room after Christmas with Ms. Jennifer...he did so well in there. He made some great friends and really started to connect with kids. I saw big improvements. He learned to rid a bike before Christmas break...all due to the fact they had bikes on the playground and he watched others do it...we had tried for a year at home with no success to even get him to sit on one. He was changing and it was beautiful. By the time his birthday rolled around I planned a huge party and invited his class...it was awesome. He had so much fun and was just so engaged that whole night. He went to summer school there last summer too...oh the fun they had.
Then he started in the 4 year old room this fall...with Ms. Fabi. I spent several weeks watching and talking to the 4 year old room teachers and really liked her, but was being told to ask for someone else. In the end he was placed in a room with a teacher I had a bad vibe with...I asked to change him and after several calls he was. I am thrilled I stuck to my guns. She has been the best thing for him. She is the perfect mix of strict, firm, disciplined and loving, compassionate and sweet. She is super organized and clean and she has so much fun playing with the kids. He adores her and so do I. We told her about Brandon's deployment and how he might have a rocky start to the year or even a few months in...she was totally supportive of it all and always asked me how I was doing. Zach grew in leaps and bounds this year. His speech, his social skills, his confidence, his academics...all of it. I know he has had a lot of influences and all are so vital to who he is and who has become, but I do know that Ms. Fabi has been someone that he needed in his life and she has impacted him greatly. My son loves school...the learning as much as the fun and I owe a lot of that to her.
I am so thankful to this school for all they have done. The fact that they opened their hearts and doors to him when a lot of other places said no. They gave him a chance, and that is all he needed to prove himself. I hope that he is given many more chances in life by people like this. It has made all the difference.
So without further ado...here are the graduation pictures...it was hard to get good ones due to the lighting in the chapel...Also did a video and ordered one from the school...so we will see how those turn out too...
Erin and Erin...So glad she joined us that night.
Zach enjoying after graduation cake...

Miss Priss...she was all about the cake.

Zach's best friend Luc. They started in Ms. Jennifer's class together in January '08. He is a sweet boy...every morning we got there after Luc and each day he greeted Zach with a huge hug. OH they will miss each other a lot.

Hugging goodbye since Luc wasn't going to the last day of school...

Leaving the church after getting his diploma...behind his two pals, Luc and Montique.

Dark...walking down the aisle to get his diploma....oh my big boy. He was full of huge smiles and looked so proud.

Lined up waiting to go in the church...SMILES!

That face...I just couldn't love him more...

Getting ready to do their class song...Going on A Bear Hunt...we could hear him singing in the back of the church...he did great!

I cried a lot that night...tears of joy...seeing how far he has come and how big he is. Seeing how much he enjoyed the experience and how happy he was. I cried because I am sad to see it end....this phase in his life, the wonderful year we have had with him of many great moments, big success and changes. I am sad to say goodbye to a school that has supported him and I so much from day one...sad Erin won't get to attend there as well. But I know there are good things ahead...I just am not the best at saying goodbye and closing chapters in my life...while my time at Edwards has been less than good for me, I will forever be thankful to this school for giving me so much...they opened up a lot of doors for Zach and the joy of making friends, loving school and learning....PUMP will be missed!

Congratulations Graduate Zachary!