First Day of School

There were several days this summer when I couldn’t wait for school to start.  I was craving a quiet day at home with NO kids… until it actually happened!  For the majority of the summer Jeff and I had all 5 kids here.  What a hectic blessing! 

Chase left two weeks ago to start his junior year at Virginia Tech.  I HATE when Chase leaves.  I hate it because I LOVE it so much

when he is here.  I hate it so much because he is SO far away and I know it’s going to be a long time before I see him again.  I hate it because he is so fun to be around and just makes my life a littler fuller.  I hate it because he bring his fun friends over.  I hate it when he leaves because I have no excuse to stay up until midnight and eat around the table and chat.  The only reason I am okay when Chase leaves is because I know he is fulfilling a life long goal at a University he has wanted to attend since 7th grade.  I know he is working hard and happy and his time in school will likely change the course of his life forever.

 

Taesha is moving into her apartment this very day!  She is going to attend Utah State starting next Monday.  I am so proud of her and LOVE that she will be an Aggie.  She has worked hard all summer at her job and is ready to roll.  I am so pumped because I can now wear Aggie blue with a purpose.  Utah State Hey Aggies All the Way!!

Taylor started middle school yesterday.  I can’t believe she is in 6th grade and growing up so fast.  She was SUPER prepared.  She and her two BFFs had made several trips to the school in preparation.  The school is only a few blocks from our house so 3 times prior to school starting they went over to practice their lockers and their class routes.  The also walked to school to “time” how long it would take.   Because of all that when Taylor came home she proudly reported that she did not get lost once and opened her locker successfully all of the time!  I told her that is just like anything in life that is new and scary.. If you face it and prepare for it your task becomes so much easier. 

I didn’t cry all morning until Taylor got in the car with Brytan.  Brytan’s mom Heather yelled out the window… “this is exactly how we took them to Kindergarten.”  I then cried all morning!  Taylor and Brytan have gone to the first day of school together every year!  How blessed are we to live by such wonderful people and Taylor to have such incredible friends.  Heather text me later that in the same time that has passed since K (6 years) they will be Seniors in high school.  Then we were both crying again!  Watching your kids grow up is such a tender and rewarding experience.

First Day of School at Willow Valley.

Mitchell will start 5th grade on Monday at Sunnyside Elementary.  Mitchell’s school participates in a program where he has the same teacher for 2 years.  This is great for Mitchy because he really likes his teacher.  Mitchy is spending on last long weekend with us before “real life begins” and he starts school on Monday.  Mitchy is a crack up and I love to hear his stories of playground antics and homework drama.   I am always especially proud of Mitchy because he loves school but doesn’t love homework.. He just does it anyway!!

Jordan was so excited for 2nd grade.  She didn’t cry until today when she said she is scared because this is her first year without Taylor at the school.  She had a great day yesterday and will have a great year!

Jord rides the bus to school.  Even though we moved our new bus stop is one that is very familiar to Jord because it is in Kim’s front yard.  So anytime Kim was tending OR the weather was bad Jord would get on the bus there.  We counted and there was 19 kids at that bus stop.

Strength is definately in numbers and it does make it easier to send your kids on the bus when they hop in with 19 of their neighbors!

Every year Juanita (my friend and neighbor) has a “snack shack”  The kids all get off the bus and we set up tables with treats, drinks and popsicles.  As usual the Snack Shack was a huge hit!

When the kids got off the bus all parents were eagerly awaiting them.  We couldn’t wait to see how their new day had gone, did they have fun, make good choices, were people nice.  I couldn’t help but wonder if this is what it will be like in the life after this.  We will all probably be anxiously awaiting reunion with our children.  Hoping they did what it took to make it to eternity!!

Oh, on a less serious note.. I LOVE Reagan’s face in the photo on the top right!  Goof ball!!

And with that we are off to another year of homework, assemblies, concerts, friends, class parties and lockers.  It really does take a village and I am so comforted to know that our village rocks!!