Where Did The Summer Go?

I can't believe that our summer has come to an end.  My kiddos aren't bored yet.  I'm not sick of having my kids around.  They aren't driving me crazy.  I'm enjoying are relaxed not scheduled days.  But nonetheless today was the first day of school!  I think this is the first year ever that I wasn't ready for school to start.

But this morning I was up at 5:30am to be dressed and ready to tend to my kiddos when they woke up at 6am to have prayer and read scriptures with Dad before he left for work.  Then we began the process of getting ready for school complete with packing three lunches (my least favorite part of the school routine).

On the drive to school this morning I was not paying attention to my driving but focusing my attention on my kiddos and their new school year and forgot to slow down as I approached a 25 mile an hour zone a little from the school.  The policeman with his radar gun had no children in his squad car and was very aware of my speed.  As soon as I saw him I knew I was busted!  Thankfully he gave me a warning despite my first handing him an expired insurance card and not having the newest registration in the van (the old one is still good for a couple of more days, despite the new tags on the van).

Once that detour was out of the way, we headed to school.  None of the three kiddos starting today were terribly excited to be going back to school, I think they each wanted summer to go on forever.

John is in the first grade, and after meeting with his teacher earlier in the week to discuss his special needs I feel that he is in good hands and am very optimistic that he will have a great year.  I was impressed when I took him to his classroom this morning, walked him through the morning routine, and helped him get started with his bell work, that he readily picked up his pencil and began to draw a picture of something he did this summer as assigned.  Not sure what he was drawing, but he was doing it and seemed happy to do it.

Rachel is in third grade.  She was to go out to the playground until the bell rang like usual today.  As we walked from the parking lot to the school, she walked many feet ahead of me and the younger two.  Then headed out to the playground like it was the middle of the year and was nervous about nothing.  I was a little sad that I didn't get to give a hug and say, "Have a good day!", but so very proud at the same time that she was confident enough to go on her own.  Wow!  She has come a long way since the start of her school career.  At the end of the day when I picked her up she had nothing but wonderful things to say about her teacher.  It does a mother's heart good to hear such things.

Elizabeth is in fifth grade.  She was probably the least excited about starting school and the most nervous.  It is her first year to have a male teacher and she has been moved into the accelerated class. (She did not want to, but she can do it and needs to be challenged more).  After we took John to his class she wanted me to walk her to class, which I was happy to do.  I felt a little sad leaving her, because she looked so uncomfortable and scared.  I was glad to see her at the end of the day and learn that it had not been as horrible of a day as she had thought it might be.

Summer is over and I know before long homework will be in full swing and I will be a very busy momma from 3:30pm-bedtime. I hope with another school year my kiddos will continue to love learning and love school!