Kindergarten Graduate

Last Wednesday Elise "graduated" from Kindergarten. As her teacher, Mrs. Caldwell, called each child by name I anxiously waited for Elise to be called. Finally, last but not least, she called Elise's name and she went up to receive her diploma. As she stood there with her teacher I could see that her cheeks were streaked and wet with tears, although she was smiling. I took a picture as she stood by her teacher and wondered to myself, What made her cry? Did she get hurt? Did someone say something mean? I walked up to her soon after and said, Elise why are you crying? She explained how she was going to miss her friends next year at the new school, she was going to miss her teacher but she was happy that she was a BIG FIRST GRADER and then she said "Really, their just Happy tears, mommy."