The School year came and like a thief in the night it stole away all of our extra play time. Our days are now full of math and reading and schedules. I love myself a good schedule and heaven knows I live for a balanced routine, but our spontaneous days of lazy mornings, sunshine and roller coasters were gone too fast.
Kaden and Taycee were more than excited to be starting school. The clothes were ready to go, the backpacks laid out and the school supply lists checked off ($100 dollars later, seriously? I don't think my parents ever spent $100 on my school supplies). Chris is convinced he will have to pick up a second job to get all four kids through elementary school. Heaven help us when they get to high school.
They were itching to run out the door an hour before the bus would arrive, I pray that they always have such an enthusiasm for learning.
Kindergarten? This little miss looks like she should be in 5th grade. Actually, as I was stalking behind her in the hall (I couldn't just let her walk to class by herself despite her insistence that she was FINE.) two people asked if she was walking into the right classroom. Random School Helper "Hey sweetie, are you headed to 2nd grade?" Taycee: "No, Kindergarten" Man B: "Are you sure your in kindergarten?" she emphatically nodded, Man B says to a passerby "She looks too tall to be in kindergarten" The tiger mom in me wanted to jump in and explain that her father is 6'7" and her mom is 5'11" and she has about as much chance of being "average height" as a hippo has of fitting in a mini cooper, and that she was in fact only 5 years old. But I didn't. Instead I just watched as her confident little self marched into her classroom gave her teacher the biggest hug ever (who she had met only one time prior) and then sat down at her little table. She really was fine, and I thought my heart might burst as I watched this capable, intelligent, beautiful little girl.
Kaden asked for weeks prior to school starting when it would start again. This most social bug could hardly stand to be away from all 22 of his friends for an entire 12 weeks. He is the happiest and the kindest, and I just wish I could bottle every inch of his 7 year old self up and keep it forever because I just don't think they come any better than him.
We had an FHE lesson before school started and talked a lot about finding people who need a friend. We talked about the importance of being kind and making sure everyone felt included. I was so proud as each day they came bolting off the bus telling me about the times they were able to help a new friend feel happy. It is good to be smart, but it is most important to be kind.
I offered to drive them both on their first day but they chose the bus and skipped off together hand in hand.
Taycee marched onto that bus without a second glance back
The doors closed and I immediately jumped in my car to follow them to school and stalk them down the halls til they reached their classrooms.
We are in to school 3 weeks now and they are still as eager as day 1. I feel slightly guilty as they have little to no play time in a day but they don't seem to mind. In between math lessons, and word study, and PP--LL--AA--NN--EETT we have found a rhythm and as always I find myself just lucky to be their momma.
