The First Day of School

I can't believe that summer is over and it's back to school time!  We met with the teachers the week before school started and the kids were excited to see their new classrooms and visit with their friends again.  

Bud is in sixth grade and has a very academic teacher.  He will be busy every minute of the day and have lots of homework at night.  He is relieved that even with the school being rebuilt behind the existing school, there is ample grass area to play football at recess.  Rosie picked out a new backpack in July and is thrilled to finally use it.  She agonized about what to wear the first day of school for weeks and finally decided upon white pants, red shirt and red crocs.  She was so happy that a friend from our neighborhood transfered to our school. (Coleman started school the next week.)

The night before they started school, Jono gave them a blessing. I packed their lunchboxes and Rosie instructed me to write a note to tuck in her lunch "like all the moms do on the first day of school".  I wrote her and Bud notes telling them I love them.  The next day I had to wake everyone up, and soon we headed off to the bus stop.  They ride their scooters, which is fun for them.

I thought about Bud and Rosie all day!  The first thing Bud said to me after walking in the door was, "Don't ever put a love letter in my lunch box again! Just tell me that you love me before I go to school, don't write it in a letter. Luckily I was the first 6th grader in the courtyard and when I saw the note I crinkled in up and put it in my pocket before anyone saw it."  Isn't that hilarious? They both had a great day.

A week later it was kindergarten's first day.  Coleman goes to school in the afternoon, but I had to greet the morning kindergarten parents in a "Boo-Hoo Woo-Hoo" breakfast from the PTA.  It's called that because sometimes parents say "boo-hoo" when their child goes to kindergarten, and sometimes they say "woo-hoo".  I situated Coleman in the back of the library with a donut and blocks and welcomed the parents.  When it was my friend's turn to talk she asked if the parents were boo-hoo or woo-hoo.  Coleman jumped out of his seat and ran to the front of the room shouting, "I'm woo-hoo!"  Finally I got him to play outside and he got wet up to his thighs from jumping in a large puddle.

After the breakfast, we went home to eat lunch and change Coleman's clothes.  I dried his new red Vans in the dryer so he could wear them to school.  Soon it was time to go.  My heart started pounding as we drove to school, I have been dreading this day for a long time; my baby is going to school!  I parked and helped Coleman out of the car.  He hugged me tight and said, "Bye mom, I love you!  Now you're going to be all alone, except on Saturdays and Sundays." I almost started crying.

Inside, Coleman hung up his new Jazz backpack and sat down.  I gave him a kiss goodbye and walked out.  Whew!  At least kindergarten is only half day, what am I going to do next year?

At 4:00 the bus pulled into our neighborhood.  Coleman stepped out followed by Bud.  He had a great day and loves kindergarten!