First Day of School…
Like many friends, today was our first day back to school…and I have mixed emotions, that obviously, I’m going to share with you.
First let me start by saying that over the last few years, I’m not sure I ever imagined that I would be able to spend an entire summer with my kids. A week of family vacation, sure. Maybe even a day here or there, but the ENTIRE summer…it was incredible.
Sure there were days when we lost our patience, and got a little snippy with each other, and there may have been a day or two that I wished summer away, and the school year to begin, but all in all it was a wonderful summer with my kiddos. I got to really experience them, Reynolds especially, in a new way with all the time we were able to spend together.
So with today being the first day of school… Eliza Jane started KINDERGARTEN. I can’t even believe it. How can it even be?! And Reynolds has moved up to 1st grade. Emory is still at preschool/daycare {for which I am extremely thankful}.
Last year with Reynolds I think I was a little more emotional, as he is my first baby. And the thoughts of leaving him somewhere completely foreign to me, with strange people was almost overwhelming. This year, however, Eliza Jane has the same teacher Reynolds had last year – Ms. Moskowitz – and we LOVE her. She is the most precious of all teachers {no offense to any of my teacher-friends out there}. She already adores Eliza Jane and calls her ‘Lady Bug’. And yes, I’m pretending that this is a pet name solely dedicated to my Eliza Jane and no one else, ever before, or ever again. Give me my moment.
But then we also know all these other teachers and staff members. And the kids…and some more parents; I’m much more at ease this time around. Yes, I suppress the thoughts of ‘what if’ and trust that the good Lord has them in the palm of His hand.
So today we dropped off the two at ‘big’ school…walked home with Emory, who asked over and over again why he couldn’t stay. And then he went to his school, and we settled in to yet, another new normal.
The house was quiet.
No one was complaining, whining, arguing or otherwise making some annoying sound to grate on my every last nerve…
No one was laughing, playing sweetly with toys or asking for help coloring a picture, or wanting to help make a cake or cookies…
No one asked for a pickle at lunch time, or where we were going to eat supper tonight. Or what day it was to figure out what evening activities awaited.
No one made a mess in my den, for the 10th time today. Or threw all the pillows on the floor to make a fort, or a tent, or some other contraption that would make me twitch…
No one had five wardrobe changes by the time the afternoon rolled around…no clothes were thrown all about.
No rooms were left in complete shambles to drive me insane throughout the day as I walked by…
No one asked me five thousand times if we were going to the pool, or when we were going to the pool…
Yes, school is back in session. And Yeah…summer was really that good. I will miss our summer, but I’m also ready to get back to work!
As you think about your own kids, or somebody else’s kids going back to school today or this week, please pray for them. And pray for all these wonderful teachers who love on, steer and teach the kids all about our world and of course academics…but there’s so much more that they do. And they need our prayers. For safety, for success, for grace, for kindness, for love…
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
Happy first day of school to my friends, their kids and teachers. May this be the most fun school year yet.
Until next time…