Dear village,

We did it. We made it through another year of “school” with our kiddos.

The last week has been full of “lasts” for our oldest. Last community Shabbat gathering, Star Night (preschool graduation but not), last dance class of the year, last swim day, last, last, last. It has felt bittersweet for us until we realize that she seems to be unphased by the transition before her. She is not sad about the end of some days, and she is instead glad for another new day.

Feeling sad about her last day of preschool is largely selfish. I have loved seeing your faces at drop off and pick up time, getting to know your families, and being a part of a community of people. There is something reassuring about a sense of routine and familiarity and you are all a part of that for me.

So if I haven’t done it already, please accept this letter of thanks.

Thanks for the reassurance on tough days. Thank you for calling “hang in there” or “I hear you” over your shoulder as we struggled through a parking lot tantrum or a teary drop off. Thank you for the high five or the hug when we were having a tough parenting day or a rough professional moment. Thanks for that coffee date, park meet-up or ladies’ night out over adult beverages.

Thanks for the little things you probably don’t even remember. Thanks for the extra cup of milk you tucked into your kiddo’s lunch box because we came up short on a busy morning. Thanks for making sure my kids never ran like crazy people into oncoming traffic during pick up time. Thanks for waiting in the lobby on a day I was stuck in traffic. And thanks for checking in on my kids on your way to music class at Beth Israel or in your travels at the JCC.

And thanks to our virtual village of friends who we do not see often but who are still connected to our daily lives. I do not post nearly enough pictures or videos but your support from afar is invaluable to us.

I am a little sad today on this last day of preschool but not too sad. We have been so fortunate to meet a small village when we first enrolled our oldest in daycare. Those villagers are still some of our closest friends today. Beginning in your living rooms around birthday season in 2010, at the park or the pool, on the sledding hills, at Shabbat on Fridays, at pumpkin festivals or berry picking, we have spent several charmed years in your company. And when we chose to switch preschools, we found even more villagers to help us in the adventure.

If we never met you, our lives would not be filled with your children and your families. We have so much to be glad about.

So, thank you. On to summer!

Smiles,

Rachel