Back to...

Yes, my friends, we are all officially back to school.  You may be wondering how it went...especially considering the big transition to kindergarten for our youngest.

Well, it all started bright dark and early last Tuesday.  Our oldest has a ridiculously early bus time, which means it's still dark out when he leaves the house.  Which is why (if I say it enough times, I may be able to convince myself it's true) we have yet to get a first day of school pic for him.  Oops.

Eighth grade.  Can you believe it?  Craziness.

Oh wait, guess I do have a 1st day of school pic for AKD.  Whew!  That was some heavy mommy-guilt just nipped in the bud right there...

 

He coordinated the colors on his braces to his school colors in honor of the first day.

As you can see, I went with the rolo pencils.  Mmmm...rolos.  AKD pointed out that I also could have used mentos.  Just, you know, if you don't like rolos or something crazy like that.

Later that day, when the sun was up, but the fog had not yet burned away, MC headed off to the first day of 5th grade.  You've already seen this picture.  Doesn't he just look thrilled?

Did you notice the bandage on his right leg?  Two weeks before school started, MC fell, hitting his leg on the corner of a wooden step stool, and opening up a V-shaped gash in his leg that required 12 stitches to repair.  I am not sure I am ever going to be able to ask this child to change his sheets again.

 

At our school we have a staggered start for kindergartners.  When MC started (a lifetime 5 years ago), they had half of the kindergartners start the first day, the other half came the second day, then everybody was there the third day.  Now, all of the kindergartners start on the same day, but it's delayed by 3 days.  During those 3 days, the teachers meet with each of their students and their parents one on one, so everybody can get to know each other and get comfortable with the classroom.

 

In our case, it worked brilliantly.  When Bubby started school on Friday, he went willingly and was all smiles when he returned home.

 

Can I just say?  I love our little country school.  Each of my boys has just 16 students in his classroom.  We know all the teachers and they know us and our boys.  It's really like a family.  A very large family that has to eat in shifts and spill out into the hallway and outside when we get together for family dinners, but a family none-the-less.  The teachers and staff are great, the quality of education is phenomenal, and they genuinely love and care for our kids as if they were their own.  Love it!

 

I know y'all are wondering how the mama did with the first day of school. 

I have been waiting for this day for 14 years: this day when all of my children would be in school full time.  It was a long time coming, and I am so thrilled to be entering into this new phase of life without pre school children.  I'm ready.  It's time.

Do I miss holding my babies in my arms?  Do I miss nursing them, looking down at their precious faces as they stare adoringly up at mine?  Do I miss the awkward toddling of first steps?  The priceless expressions as they tried each new mushed up food?  Do I miss the lazy days of staying in our pjs and snuggling the day away, just because we can?  Do I miss their full heads of crazy curly bozo hair?

Yes, absolutely, yes. 

However, it is good and right for these children to be growing in stature, in independence, in wisdom (um...not sure about the wisdom part...).  The ironic truth of motherhood is that, if we're doing it right, we work ourselves right out of a job.

Oh, I know they'll always need their mama, but it does my heart good to know that these boys of mine are learning to make their way in the world.