First Day of School

J. has officially started first grade. He is surviving beautifully and I am surprising myself but not having the emotional attacks I expected. I spent the summer dreading the start of school. I thought kindergarten last year was the perfect blend of education and freedom. He went to school every day for 3 hours and then he came home and played. All day school would appeal more if he weren't such a pleasant person to be around. I love hanging out with the boy...I love going on field trips and adventures my kids and discovering new things to explore together. I love J.'s questions and observations and running commentary. I love being the one to teach him new things. Love it. But there are lots of things I want for my boy that I alone can't provide. So off to school we go.

Things started a week ago when the kids and I headed out for a little school shopping. First stop...Target. M. got a new backpack and H. got a Hello Kitty lunchbox (that she thinks is a backpack). The boys chose an alarm clock and only a preschooler and a first grader could be so excited about waking up to an alarm clock. It was the highlight purchase of the day. Everyone got new underwear and socks. Doesn't it just seem like items every child should have when starting school?

On to Children's Place where I found the deal of the century...last year's shorts for $1.99 plus 25% off. One pair in blue, one pair in stone, both in J.'s size. I took it as a gracious sign from God that we were on the right track with the whole school thing. We got shorts, shirts, new sturdy shoes...and then stopped at Cold Stone for a little school shopping treat!

Fast forward. Monday night for FHE C. gave each child a special father's blessing. They were beautiful and I once again felt overwhelmed with gratitude to have a husband and father who not only holds the priesthood, but honors it in every way possible. I truly felt strengthened and uplifted and felt as if angels were in place to ensure that each of us would be guided, protected, and inspired as we approached all this new year held for us. A miracle right in our front living room!

Tuesday morning dawned bright and early. The boys' alarm clock was shrieking and irritating and got us all out of bed. The kids did their chores and then we met around the kitchen table as a family for prayers, scripture reading, and cinnamon rolls and bacon. I made J.'s lunch with all his favorites...turkey sandwich on white bread with Dijon mustard, a little container of pizza flavored Pringles chips, and an applesauce. I put a spoon, folded napkin and a little note from his Mom in the brown paper sack that had his name sprawled across the front. With more enthusiasm than I have ever seen from a person whose childhood freedom has ended and 12 years of full day school sentence starting, J. bounded out to the car like he was headed to Disneyland. Off to school the whole family went.

We walked him in and watched the games unfold. The entire school met in the gym for a hideously boring welcome speech from the principal and some other lady who I don't know and then they were off to class. I cried a little but waved a lot. I took pictures and gave him hugs and then trotted off to the school library where I hung out cataloging books for the next 3 hours until I felt like I could walk out of the school and know I would see my boy again. I only checked on him once...he didn't see me. I just snuck my head around the corner. I really, really am not an overprotective parent. Really. This is just all been a little new for me and it represents a significant change in my life with J. Not in a bad way, just a new and different way.

J. will never be home with me full-time again. I share him now and although we are sending him to an amazing charter school that is filled with amazing people and wonderful experiences, no one will ever have his best interest at heart like I do. I love to teach and being able to share the wonders of the world around us with my children has been pure joy. I won't stop doing that but now I share that experience with a school that gets him for 7 hours a day. It is a paradigm shift and I don't always embrace change well.

I will write another post about the hilarious car pool incident at the end of school that really highlights what a clueless parent I am but needless to say, I finally picked my child up from school at the end of the day and HE LOVED IT! EVERY MINUTE of it! It was early out day for the first 2 days of school and he asked me the whole way home when he would be able to go to a FULL day of school. Today was his first FULL day of school and he said it felt like 3 minutes and then it was over. We've survived 3 days of school and he continues to love every minute. And you know what? It isn't so bad. I get to spend a whole day playing with M. and H. and I love this chance to be with them and get to know them in a whole new way. M. starts preschool on Monday so I'm bracing myself for the next big event but he is ready and excited and now I know it is all going to be OK.

So here is to crispy new school clothes, sharpened pencils, new boxes of crayons, and mother's tears as they watch little ones grow up! Hurray! May this school year be filled with grand adventure!

(P.S. I have a million pictures that I can't get to work on my poor broken down computer. I'll figure out a way to get it going! Stand by for darling pictures!)