First Day of School

     Last Wednesday was the first day of school for Carson and Abby.  This year was different from past years, because when we moved last fall it changed our elementary school boundaries (even though we only moved two blocks).  The school we had been attending let us finish the year with them, but does not accept waivers (it is full to capacity and then some), so this we we began the adventure of a new school.

     Both kids were sad last year about the change and Carson especially expressed on many occasions how sad he felt about leaving his school and his friends.  Summer came, however, and their anxieties and worries seemed to fade away as they just enjoyed their break and not thinking about school.  I worried about it a lot, but took their lead and didn't continually bring it up.  The day before they both continued to say they didn't feel too nervous and they continued to be calm right up until about bedtime and then the morning of the nerves really hit.   Abby was terrified of making a mistake with the bus (our last school was a walking school) and Carson just kept saying that he didn't know anybody, which isn't entirely true, although I knew what he meant.  There are a lot of kids from church that are at this new school and a handful of kids from past sports teams.  Both kids had multiple children they knew in their classes, but there were still many unknowns and Carson had been going to school with the same kids for four years so he knew almost everybody in his grade.

      Wednesday morning came and Mike went into work late so we could all drive the kids down to school and each child would have a parent to accompany them to their classroom.  We didn't want them to have to deal with the bus that first morning and apparently we were not the only parents with that thought.  The school was PACKED with parents dropping off their kids and the back up spilled out onto the surrounding streets.  We were probably five minutes late to school, but it didn't matter because half the school was still behind us.  We got them to their classes and then I went home and looked at the clock about every ten minutes willing it to go faster and praying that they would do okay.

       They got off the bus hot, tired, and happy.  They both had great first days for which I was so grateful.   I had emailed Abby's teacher to see if she could start off the year sitting by the girl she knew from church and the teacher was very accommodating and kind about my request (at least on the outside, on the inside she might have already categorized me as a crazy parent :). When Abby got to school, not only was she sitting by her friend from church, but a boy from her class last year (who also switched schools) was sitting right across from her!  

      Her report upon getting of the bus was of her teacher making them "jitter juice" to get rid of the jitters and it had ice cream in it! She did the monkey bars at recess and our neighbor girl from down the street who is in first grade found her at recess and they played.

       Carson saw a boy from his baseball team in his class and found out that this was also his first year at this school.  They choose seats by each other in class and music.  At recess he joined a soccer game and played goalie.  He blocked two goals that first day which apparently earned the nickname "fourth grade legend."  I consider the two blocked goals an answer to our prayers.  The boys have continually called Carson out to play with them at recess for which both Mike and I are so grateful.  

       I'm sure there will be some adjustments as the weeks go on and they have both expressed that they miss their old school and friends, but overall this transition is going better than I had imagined.  I am proud of both my big kids and the good attitudes and courage they have showed this past week.  

Sweet girl, stop growing up so fast!  Love her missing front teeth!

Our handsome big boy.