Pomp and Circumstance

Warning, there are a ton of cute pictures coming up....

It's the end of one chapter right into the start of another - graduating from preschool!  Friday night we celebrated Drew's graduation with our family.  They came over for a rushed dinner and then off to the ceremony, which was hands down amazing!

Drew goes to a church preschool (not our church) and we were allowed into the salutary at 6:30 but the kids couldn't go to their classroom until quarter til.  So it was the perfect opportunity to snap some shots with his friends.

L-R: Drew and Troy

 Drew and Troy have been together since Drew was 4 months, and Troy was days shy of his first birthday.  Troy is definitely Drew's first friend.  We're going to miss seeing him every day like we have for the past 4 1/2 years! (Troy will be going to a different Kindergarten)

L-R: Troy, Zionna, Drew

 L-R: Naomi, Drew, Troy, Zionna

It's hard to keep serious faces for too long, so they make silly faces.
L-R: Naomi, Drew, Troy, Zionna

Can't you see the same picture in 12-13 years from now?!

Once the ceremony started, the Pastor of the church said a few words and then they played a slide show of the past year (or more for those kids who have been at this school for 2+ years like we have). 

I admit, this is where I lost it.  I swear it was the music!!  Here are the pictures of Drew from the slide show.  I will get the video off Dave's camcorder ASAP, so you  can see what I mean about the music.

From the slideshow:  Drew and his Best buds
L-R: Jayce, Drew, Troy

From the slideshow, his other best bud
L-R: Jayce and Drew

Final picture of Drew from the slideshow, where all the kids thanked their parents.  Too sweet.  Yes I admitted I was a sappy mess.  My Dad leaned over at one point and said, "wow you're really gonna miss this place".  It was the music!  I swear! :)
 
Then the kids came in marching to Pomp and Circumstance - all my pictures of the entry are blurry... darn.

We started with the pledge of allegiance followed by the kids singing "God Bless America"

Drew is in the back center.  Naomi happens to be in the bottom left, Troy to the bottom right.  You will see them frequently in the following pictures.

The Graduating Class of 2012

The kids did several songs for the parents, some of which were hilarious!  

He was so proud of himself there.... (back center)

The kids then each received their "diploma" (it was really just a rolled up paper).  Again, I got blurry pictures of them handing them off.  But he put his diploma to good use....

That would be Drew trying to "spy" us in the audience.

Our little graduate

The only non-blurry picture I have of Drew marching out as a preschool graduate.  That's the school Director Mrs. Kim helping him down.  Notice he's capless?  All the kids threw their caps in the air when the teachers told him they graduated!

We then filed out after some much deserved juice and cookies we found everyone in our group and took pictures

The Family shot

L-R: Uncle Matt, Drew, Adrina, Auntie Rana

L-R: Grammy and Drew (GrampC was MIA)

Oh GrampC was looking for props...
L-R: Grammy, Drew and GrampC

Great-Grandma Geri (GG) and Drew

And of course Ms. Stephie, his former day care provider who is also Troy's mom.  She has been an important part of his (and our) life since he was just shy of 4 months old.  WOW time flies.

So what is next?  Well TK as I mentioned last week.  But what does Drew want to be when he grows up?  According to the program...

Who knew!?!  Uncle Matt said if he had a "do over" he'd be a firefighter too - for those who don't know he's a police officer.  We aren't quite sure where the Firefighter ambition came from, but we suspect from the neighbor boy who Drew loves to play with.

Graduation is bittersweet.  It's a milestone in his life, and sad because it means our baby is growing up!  I cannot fathom doing this again when he's 18... so as one of the songs during the slideshow says... "Let them be Little".