Sometimes, the first day of school really surprises you...

Last night, you laid out your favorite outfit and packed all your essentials in your backpack. We read our traditional, The Night Before, stories and rested on your bed, as we talked about 3rd grade. 

You were stretched across your twin bed, the same bed you slept on since your first birthday -It's hard to imagine how little space your tiny body used to fill up on this bed. And now, I have to squish myself next to you, in order to fit. 

I rubbed your long blondish/brown hair, as we reminisced about all your school years prior. You giggled when you talked about how you would cling so tightly to me, like it was ancient history. And now, I only get a quick rendition of our secret handshake.

I said, I remember kneeling on the pavement in front of the school doors, eye level to you (as children and staff passed by us), and I would tell you how brave you were. And your sobbing would stop just long enough, to acknowledge the truth in that statement.

But years later, today, you walked in without a care in the world. No fears. No tears. Your friends yelled to you when we walked up, and you ran over to them... This moment, was the moment I wrote about in a blog post all the way back when you were still in kindergarten.

And instead of clinging tightly to me, you grasped tightly onto your little brother's hand. You outstretched your arm, when you noticed his hesitation, and you leaned down eye level to him, and gave him a pep talk. The same way, I used to do for you... Then, when those infamous door opened up, you pulled him close to you and walked him down to his classroom, like the best protective big sister you are.

It's like, one minute you're little and scared -Frantically searching for mommy to cling to... And in the blink of an eye, you're big and making sure your little brother doesn't ever feel the same fears that you once had.

It seemed that, overnight, you matured yourself.

And luckily for him, you're there every step of the way. Being more than just his sister, you're each other's best friends.