Preschool registration is no joke

  A week ago yesterday was a day that I had put a huge X on our family calendar back when it arrived in the mail in December. You see March 6th at 6pm was THE day we were to sign Drew up for preschool. We live in a teeny tiny town with very few options as to where to send your child to preschool. Me teaching Drew preschool was not happening and option number 2 is about a 20 minute drive. So our family geared up for the afternoon of March 6th.

  You see, when you live in a teeny tiny town and there is this one amazing, awesome, lights out preschool that many, many families want to go to, but only 24 slots available your chances of getting in a slim. Not to mention that it's at a church, not our church so church members get first priority, alumni get second priority and then there was us...The public came in last. Also, there were families that already had a child in the preschool that were able to sign up their younger siblings coming in. So again, chances are slim, but darn it I was going to give it the best darn try to get Drew in.

    Registration was to start for the public at 6pm with church members and alumni beforehand. I went to wait at 1:30pm. now I know you're thinking I'm nuts and I've lost my mind, don't worry Brendan thought the same exact thing! When I arrived I saw one of the other day care mom's that we go to a small in home day care with. She had been working at the church all morning and just waiting. So I was public #2. Through the grapevine we had heard that there were 14 slots still available for the coveted 3 year old class. From past years experience this would mean that we were golden and should have no problem getting in, or so we thought. We chatted about our son and daughter and passed the time. Some other people showed up around 3:30pm and then they handed out numbers with once again church members going first, alumni second, and then the public.

    As 5:30pm approached more and more people arrived and as church members were called I text my sister who is a member of the church and said "I don't think Drew's going to get in". She was shocked, she could not for the life of her recall that many families who had 3 year olds who would be enrolling. There were 15 people that were called ahead of me, between church members and alumni, then my day care mom. The only way Drew would get a spot was if someone was enrolling for the 4 year old class. For months now I had been praying that he would get a spot in this preschool. All of my nephews and nieces have gone to this school and have had such a wonderful experience, this is where we really wanted him to go. As each person was called before me my hope diminished a little more.

   At 6:10pm public #2 was called and the other day care mom was standing back with the teachers, I thought this meant bad news and I would be put on a waiting list. I know most all of the teachers and as I entered one of them said "It's Abby"! I asked hesitantly if they still had room, and they told me that Drew would get the VERY LAST SPOT. I immediately started crying as did the teachers and the other day care mom who waited for me and had found out that her daughter and Drew would get the last two spots. I text Brendan immediately and he had Drew call and leave me the sweetest message saying thank you. When I arrived home he was jumping, literally jumping a the back door he was so excited to go to school. Little does he know it doesn't start until September.

   I know the world wouldn't have ended if he wouldn't have gotten in, we would have been OK, we would have found another preschool. I just never thought I'd wait 4 and half hours to get my child the very last spot in preschool.  The things you do for your children.  Needless to say, we are excited for Drew to start his education and couldn't be happier with the school we've chosen.  I'd do all over again in a heartbeat.