Back to School Again!

Another school year has begun, and all the kids had a wonderful first day of school. Me, on the other hand, had a hard time letting them go. What if they have no one to play with at recess? What if no one sits by them at lunch? Do they have a big enough lunch? Will they be able to find their class? Will Samara be too shy to say anything to anyone? Will Spencer be able to NOT talk the entire time? I've never really stressed about it before, but this year was different for some reason.

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Spencer is in the first grade at Johnson this year. His teacher's name is Mrs. O'Grady. On the way home from the "Meet the teacher" day, he kept mumbling something I couldn't hear. When we got out of the car he said, "Now I'll remember my teacher's name is Mrs. O,Grady." He had been saying it over and over again to himself the whole way home.

It was super tough watching my little boy running across the playground to his class, with his big'ol backpack and his little lunchbox-- all alone, in a big, strange place.

Samara is in Mrs. Sanders' second grade class at Franklin. She is pretty shy, but makes friends easily. I'm not sure how that works, but it does. Today she saw a new friend walking to the other bus stop and called to her to save her a seat. I think she'll be alright.

Ezra has Mr. Moore for third grade. He is the teacher all the kids want, so we are feeling very lucky. Ezra is the most thoughtful child I have ever known. He just naturally looks out for other people, and tries to be there for anyone in need. Yesterday he saw a boy who didn't have anything to eat at lunch; so Ezra sat by him and tried to share his lunch. I was so pleased that my Ezra noticed and tried to help, but mostly I was just upset that some kid didn't get a lunch, and that no teacheres noticed or cared that he didn't have a lunch. Is it wrong to hope that the boy had gotten in trouble and had to spend his recess time in the cafeteria after he had finished his lunch and then lied to Ezra about it?

Elizabeth didn't want to be left out of the picture taking-- so here she is. I am really looking forward to spending a lot of one-on-one time with her this year.

Good luck to all the kids going to school this year!

And good luck to all the Moms and Dads too!