school

In a few short days my firstborn goes off to first grade.  It was hard last year to send him to school and seems just as hard this year.  I thought it would be a little easier but its not.  I've loved having him home all summer.  I've been having trouble sleeping thinking about it this past week.  Instead of half day my sweet boy will be gone all day.  I told Brent that I will only see Colin for 5 hours each day when he gets home from school until its time for bed.  And while that seems like a lot  its not the same when you have to get dinner, homework, baths (sometimes) and bedtime stories in.

And I have no idea how Joel will handle it.  He and Colin have been insepearable all summer. They go into their room and I just hear them talking and the rustle of legos for several hours until they get hungry or want to show me what they have created.  Sometimes when Norah is napping and they are in their room I like to stand outside and just listen to their conversations.  I have a feeling Joel will be a little lost next week without his Bubba. 

 There is some comfort in that we really like the school but I still dont like him gone from me.  At all.  I would still love to homeschool but God keeps confirming sending him to school.  And Colin thrived last year.  Really thrived and it was so neat seeing how he matured and grew just in kindergarten.  It is such a great school and I only have great things to say about it.  So I'm praying and hoping that this year is even better.  I have complained a few times that if they just took out PE, lunch, recess, art, music then he could only go half day again but those are the things he's really excited about.  And so am I.

  It is going to be a little bit of a challenge to figure out what to put in his lunches since he doesnt eat the typical lunch stuff.  We've been practicing this week with different lunches in his lunchbox for him to open.  I can't wait to leave notes for him each day.  I'm also looking forward to taking him to school each day.  We are never on time for the bus stop so we are going to take him and then have him ride the bus home.  We started a tradition of praying together each morning before I drop him off and became one of my favorite times of the day.  And its really fun to see him walk into school - backpack bouncing up and down and he walks. 

Colin is getting a little nervous. He has started stuttering a little bit so I know he's getting nervous.  His one worry is who to sit next to in the cafeterria.  We have back to school night tonight so I'm really praying he knows someone in his class. That will make next tuesday much more fun for him to look forward to. 

At the same time I'm looking forward to that extra attention I can give Joel.  Poor middle child gets lost in the shuffle sometimes.  I feel like Colin gets attention with swimming, school. sports, and then Norah gets a lot just being the baby and diaper changes, being fed.  And then there is Joel.  So I think this time will be good for him. 

For the first time in a few years we aren't doing a sport this fall.  I'm looking forward to it and just allowing the kids to just play on saturday mornings (and sundays now that we are going to a sun night service) without hurrying to get out the door for a game. But for now I'm going to take it one day at a time until we get into the whole school routine again.  I wonder if it will ever get easier sending them back to school - maybe when Norah is in school and I have an empty house?  (although that will probably make me cry even harder)