Graduation Day...

Whoa...what a day!  Pre-school graduation ~ a day full of tears and a day full of excitement!

Matt and I have been looking forward to this day as much as Anna Lauren...she is so excited about kindergarten, and we are so excited for her and the new journey she is about to begin.  But...we get to her program and the tears start flowing...yes, even Daddy.  Craziness!  However, we decided our tears are due to the fact that we have LOVED Ridgecrest and it has been the perfect fit for Anna Lauren for five years.  Not only is it school, but it is our church.  There is comfort in that for many reasons.  And even more important to us, she and Cooper are together...we enjoy them getting to ride together in the mornings and afternoons.  Next year we will have to divide and conquer and that is going to be hard on a Daddy and Mommy who like all their eggs in the same nest.  We will all adjust but it hit us hard today...and...it hit us unexpectedly.

But...besides Daddy and Mommy being a bit on the emotional side, we had a super fun day and enjoyed celebrating Anna Lauren's graduation.  What a special day we'll always remember!

Here she goes...I'm Anna Lauren Calvert, I'm 5 years old, I want to be a gymnast when I grow up...

Singing her little heart out and not missing a motion...

Getting her diploma...

And the BIG surprise of the day...this "special, special" friend (Emmy) came to her graduation!

Anna Lauren and Ms. Theresa...this lady has worked her to death, but she has taught her so much!

Anna Lauren and Ms. Melissa...Ms. Melissa was her assistant teacher for most of the year, and she came back for graduation.  Anna Lauren was so excited to see her!

Anna Lauren and Ms. Polly...the music teacher she LOVES!  However, she was not happy I was making her stop to take a picture.  If you cannot tell!

 MeMe, Anna Lauren, and Poppie...

Ashton, Nanna, and Anna Lauren...

Mommy, Anna Lauren, and Daddy...Cooper was enjoying lunch and nap time with his friends!

So proud of the cookie cake she picked out herself...that was our dessert after lunch at McAlister's (her choice).

Got to love Kroger...I said "graduate" and they put "graduates"...it was yummy so all was good and Anna Lauren was proud of the cake she picked out herself.

The test...from the beginning of this school year, we told Anna Lauren when she could write her whole name we would buy her a new bike.  Well, she has had Anna Lauren down pat for a while but Calvert has been giving her some trouble.  With no help she wrote it today, so she is the proud owner of a new bike.

Showing off her new helmet...

And we ended the "special" day by going to the trail for a bike ride...she LOVES her new bike!  She even had to go back out for another ride after dinner.  Anna Lauren, we are so proud of you and all you have learned this year.  We look forward to going on the kindergarten journey with you!