:: releasing butterflies ::

Over the last few weeks we have been watching our swan plant with fascination. For the first time it has been covered in caterpillars. They started out miniscule and ended up rather fat, just like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, as they chewed through the leaves. One by one, they would find a place to rest, hook themselves up and hang upside down until they were encased by a cacoon. The cacoons themselves were amazing to see. Delicate, bright green cases with tiny gold dots. Inside, over the next 10 days, each caterpillar became a butterfly, which we were able to see tucked up inside a transparent cacoon, just moments before they emerged into the world. Transformed. Minutes later these beautiful, delicate creatures were ready to fly away with complete freedom to dance and explore the world. It has been such an amazing feat of creation to observe!

Today, as I was ironing and naming our girls' school uniforms and labelling their stationery, I thought to myself that, in many ways, they are like these butterflies. Home has been their cacoon - their safe place for transformation and growth. Now it is their moment to emerge out into the big, wide world. They start school for the first time this week. It's a moment of mixed emotions. They are ready and I think I am in a surreal way, walking the path that many, many mothers are familiar with. Kindy has been a wonderful place for them, and it has really helped them take this next step into going on to school. We are about to let our little ones go, entrusting them into the hands of a teacher and a wider school community. I seriously considered homeschooling for a long time, and I still like the idea of it. But I have realised that, for our family in this season, it is right to send them to school. To hear that it is a lovely little school calms my heart! The thought of sending such little ones, so full of innocence, beautiful imagination, creativity, and thoughtful, kind hearts into a place where they will hear different ideas, opinions and most probably encounter challenging and sometimes nasty behaviour, is a scary thought (not to say that we don't have that behaviour here at home!). But it is time to let them go, and let them know that home is a safe place where their cheering team resides, and trust that the individual, precious qualities that they each hold will be fostered, encouraged and strengthened throughout their school years. And that they will capture a love for learning in every sense - about themselves, others and the big, wide world.

So fly, beautiful little butterflies. You are not alone - the team of people surrounding you, cheering you on is only growing larger...