ELIZABETH and Wayne Clarke, (pictured), spent many years trying to have a child, so when their only daughter, Hope, walks through the school gate for her first day of Kinder tomorrow, the moment will be particularly significant.
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Hope will be among hundreds of littlies starting the next exciting chapter of their lives, as Kinder classes begin in many schools around the region today, tomorrow and on Monday.
For the Clarkes, of Kootingal, the moment will be particularly poignant as they send off their only child, born through IVF, but only after a number of failed attempts over several years. Like all excited five-year-olds she’s been trying on her uniform and wearing in her school shoes over the past few weeks and her parents couldn’t be prouder.
Hope was given her name for an obvious reason, because despite the heartbreak of a number of miscarriages, the Clarkes persevered.
“At some point you do feel like giving up ... it’s such a stressful time ... but we decided to try again and kept holding onto hope – and it turned out in the end,” Elizabeth said.
She concedes though had the news been bad, they may have abandoned their dream – “so, she really was our last hope”.
So, tomorrow, how will Elizabeth feel as her little girl takes her first real steps on her own.
“I’m not sure – I’ll probably be teary, being our one and only. I cried when she went to daycare, so I’ll probably cry this time, too.”