Little Graduate & Little Learners Farewell

"I've heard it said

That people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn

And we are led

To those who help us most to grow

If we let them

And we help them in return

Well, I don't know if I believe that's true

But I know I'm who I am today

Because I knew you ...

I have been changed ...

For good"

 (-Wicked)

It's so hard to believe that we've come to the end of our Little Learners chapter!  Iver attended from 2016-2021 and Niall (2018-2023)  just "graduated" preK in a sweet little celebration on Thursday. We are so indebted to all the teachers who blessed them (and us) on this journey.

Dressed up and ready to go! 

They had little caps and gowns for the graduates!

He was a bit shy/sullen during the walk, songs, and diploma receipt

He said he wanted to be a "firefighter" when he grows up.

Happy the "ceremony" was over!

I wrote this poem to commemorate our journey with LL, which has been soooo good to us over the years.

Second Family

In early 2015, we were still new doctors, 

and very new parents,  

nervous, underprepared,

without a village.

The stars aligned and our paths crossed, 

because of the miracle of babies and birth.

We truly won the childcare lottery.

We had a sensitive firstborn, with extreme FOMO,

who cried at home anytime it was time to rest, 

but who you easily patted to sleep.

Through the bars of the infant room "jail," 

you quieted his screams.

We left him, daily, in your care,

knowing confidently that he was in good hands (and arms),

even as we drove away to take care of other children, and families,

albeit in a slightly different way.

You called us immediately when he seemed ill.

You faithfully changed him when he was wet and dirty

(even though we know you were stressed by the cloth diapers!).

You fed him every last drop of milk I painstakingly collected for him.

You wrote down everything that happened in our absence,

snapped countless photos for us,

so we wouldn't feel we were missing out.

You made caregiving all look so easy. 

When we had a second, he came to you as an even younger infant,

a little body with a big head and an even bigger smile.

He grew up with some of you same teachers, 

the heroes who taught his big brother.

We were supremely confident in your care.

Is there any bigger blessing for working parents?

You have also grown alongside our children, 

as people and as humans.

Many of you married, and many became mothers as well

(sometimes I was fortunate enough to be there!).

And yet you always had extra love to give these other (our) children, 

and for this we can not be more thankful.

You have been preferred caregivers,

second parents in our absence, 

You've stepped up overnight, after hours, 

for rides, closure dates, holidays, illnesses, and emergencies. 

Our kids light up in your presence,

and know that you're always in their corners.

Through a pandemic, you stayed committed.

We masked up and took care of others,

and you likewise showed up,  

day after day, 

risking your health and safety,

for the sake of us and our kids.

With hope, distance learning is a remnant of the past.

Our children may not even remember the masks, missed hugs,

missed milestones, missed graduations. 

But they do remember how they were cared for,

and how they felt safe and held through it all.

With "preK" graduation upon us,

we are at the end of our early childhood educational journey

and a decade's worth of your care (~5 years each x 2 kids).

We've already said good-bye to some of the greatest influences on our kids' lives to date,

who have moved on to bless other families and communities.

Our Littlest Learner is to become a bigger learner.

And, while we may no longer get to see your faces daily, 

or plan any more kids down the pike,

parenting (and your wonderful impact) will go on.

It truly takes a village to do the biggest and most important job there is-- 

raising our precious children.

Said Nelson Mandela, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

You've touched our children, you've changed our lives, 

and you teachers truly change the world.

You have been our village, our family, our everything. 

We hope our lives will continue to stay intertwined for years to come.

We love you always, 

The Vus 

Iver (LL 2016- 2021)

Niall (LL 2018- 2023)

Kindergarten (and third grade), here we come!