School started the day after Labor Day, but I now downloaded the pictures from my camera. Here is Nathan, with the help of his brother and sister, getting off to school the first day. Next is one I love; my boy and I walking to school the first time. It was a bit easier than last year; a lump in my throat vs. a fair amount of tears. Daily as he leaves we pray together for him, his teacher, and Mommy all to have a good day at school. He is having a good year! A bit nervous to begin, which I assured him was normal (even for Mom after all the years I've been a student and teacher). Every day he gets ready easily and now walks himself down to and back from school. He doesn't miss a beat and remembers/reminds me of what's happening. His favorite breakfast consists of oatmeal with raisins, banana slices, brown sugar, and milk. Each day when he arrives home he is happy and the answer to the infamous, "How was school today?" is always the same: "Good." At dinner we try to ask more open-ended questions; he needs some time to relax when he gets home. He is happy that the class began going to the library this week and now will go 3!!! days a week! That means potential of lots of new books for our avid reader! He often reads his library books to Robyn and Seth (very sweet to observe).
If any of you recall "Little Kenny," he was known to have a nose in a book growing up....and I certainly read a lot as a youngster, too. However, unlike other adults in my home, my siblings never threw one of my books on the roof because they were frustrated with me reading incessantly. (Ken's angry response? Simply crawl out on the roof, get the book, and begin reading again... :) Poor Valerie...just wanted to play a board game!
More soon; we're "in the swing" of the September schedule - rather different than the long, event-free days of summer, but good in its own way.
As my new principal (who's great!) says: "Make it a great day!"
