The first day of kindergarten. Shopping for school supplies, wearing some new clothes, driving a different route, entering a different door. All the hallmarks that I remember from beginning a new school. Mateo definitely had some anxiety about today, he did not fall asleep until almost 11:30 last night. Although some of that could have been residual jet lag from Kauai, I knew it was school that was really weighing heavy in his mind. So it was a rough morning at first, a hastily eaten breakfast, a skinned knee on the way to the car, having to make our way through a thick crowd of kids and parents gathered in the small classroom. But there was a sweet, excited energy in the air. Once Mateo sat down in his new morning meeting circle, I could already sense that he would be fine. More than fine. He and the boy next to him started talking, and the next thing I knew he was waving me goodbye. A few hours later when I picked him up, we walked to Main Street to Ben & Jerry's for ice cream, apparently a tradition. And there we were walking with a new set of kids, Mateo walking alongside them, smiling and confident already. It was a great first day.