Aloka and her funny mind

Today Aloka said to me "Mama, can i pay you for for taking care of me my whole life?"  It was so sweet and touching, and then she handed me a penny!  She is so funny and sweet!

Today was the first day of school, Grade 1.  She did great, and LOVES it!  She has an amazing teacher, named Mr. Lunde, he's 6'2" and fabulous with the children.

There was the Rose Ceremony this morning, which is very *very* moving.  The oldest grade in our school is Grade 8, and for this ceremony which is at the beginning and end of each year, the new Grade 8 children walk in with the new Grade 1 children.  Each Grade 8 student has two little Grade 1's holding their hand, one on each side.  So they parade slowly in, and everyone is dressed in 'festival' attire, which means white.  White clothing, white with flowers, etc.  The boys have white shirts and dress pants, and the girls have all their fanciest prettiest white dresses.

They go up to the stage, and one by one, Mr Lunde reads the name of each 1st grader, they come up and their respective 8th grader gives them a rose, to welcome them on their journey.

Boo hoo.  So sweet, and as we watched and cried, Josh joked that there are boxes of kleenex you can purchase as a Grade 6 fundraiser, ha ha!

Throughout the year, the 1st graders buddy up with their 8th grader friend and they learn things from the older students.  It flourishes into a sweet relationship, as the 1st graders so look up to the older kids.

At the end of the year, there is another Rose Ceremony, and the 1st graders give back a rose to their 8th grade mentors, as a gesture of well wishes on their new journey into their next chapter in life and leaving the Waldorf school.

Gonna be bringing more Kleenex for that one!