And it finally hits me

How big and grown up and independent the kids are becoming.

I have to admit to feeling a little heartless that I wasn't more emotional about Jadyn starting Kindergarten yesterday. Then last night at dinner, BOTH kids requested that I drive through the drop off lane and let them out instead of walking them to their classrooms for their second day of school. Now for Jake this is no surprise but for Jadyn? Well it took me a little off guard. Jake had already been instructed to walk with Jadyn through the entrance to the school and to her playground area (the kindergartners are mostly segregated from the rest of the school) before preceding to drop off his backpack and play on his playground and I knew I could trust him to see that Jadyn got where she needed to go. But as I gave them hugs and watched them get out of the car and start walking, I saw that they were holding hands. It was so precious and for me such a proud moment that Jake would take his job so seriously. I whipped out my phone and took a picture through my front windshield. It was the best I could do to preserve the memory:

However, I must also confess that I am not so naive to think that Jake and Jadyn will always be this close. Of course I hope they will but I know that over the years their dynamic with each other may shift and change. I am prepared for this possibility. I know that my brother and I played very well together as kids but were pretty much nonstop at each other's throats from Jr High through high school. Maybe Jake and Jadyn will be different. After all they are big brother/little sister instead of big sister/little brother but no matter what happens I will take comfort in knowing that through our young adulthood and on, my brother Tony and I have remained fairly close. And in the end, I have that same hope for my kids.