ABC's and 123's

Last week Annika and Emma started Kindergarten! I know, I know...it is hard to believe that they are old enough to go to school! As their mom, I knew that they were ready; but now, it is hard to believe the time has come. Bill and I took them for their first day since there was a parent meeting. We decided to have them in different classes, and that is probably harder on me than seeing them go to school! But, I have confidence that this is the right decision for them, and that they will flourish!

Here they are, all ready to go on the first day!


Bill and Annika at her desk


Emma at her desk across from her friend.


At noon, I went back to school to pick up the girls, and had my camera, all ready to take pics with their teachers, and by the school sign, but that didn't happen. Little miscommunication...picked up Annika, and hurried home to get Emma...who took the bus home. Annika cried the whole way home, mostly because "She's going to be scared!" We called ahead to Grandma, and made sure she was waiting for Emma to get off the bus. Emma was all smiles and told Annika how much fun it was on the bus (all three minutes of the ride). Not to be consoled so easily, Annika then went into more hysterics that on Thursday it would be Emma's second time on the bus, and it would only be her first time...oy vey ladies! Thankfully, Annika was so excited to ride Thursday morning that we took another pic on day two :)


Thankfully, many of my time-management issues have improved over the last nine years, and our morning routine has them all ready by 8:30 a.m. Annika stands by the microwave timer, watching it count down to the time they can go outside. Emma is stationed by the window - just in case the bus is super early. They were soooo excited to see the bus round the corner and come down the street!


Upon getting to the top of the stairs on her first ride, Annika looked down the aisle at 21-stops worth of children. I can only imagine the overwhelming feeling she had as she looked back at me. But, stiff upper lip, I smiled and said "Go find a seat and have a good day!" Emma...well, she never looked back :)


But, that isn't the end of the story, because, I still have two little ones at home. You see, as the girls gathered up their sweatshirts, tied their shoes, and donned their new backpacks, Nolan was running around the house - getting his shoes, finding a discarded flower backpack, and, sounding a bit like "Rain Man," he repeated "Sk-oo Bus, Sk-oo Bus. Backpack Mama. Sk-oo Bus!" So, walking up the drive, trying to catch my breath a little, I encountered this sight of Nolan, whom I had locked into the house (so as to manage two very excited girls and a camera without the danger of a two year old running to the street). He may or may not have been less than happy about the girls going to school. Distraught may be a good word, but that doesn't even seem strong enough to describe the utter sadness that this little boy felt. So, upon re-entry to the house, I gathered him up in my arms, and we cried it out.

Now, a new normal is evolving. We're so thankful to have a Christian school that our children can attend. We know that what we have taught our girls at home is continuing in the classroom, and we will continue learning new things as the year goes on. The stories will continue. The drama will unfold. But, I'm sure there will be more smiles than tears as we move forward with

ABC's and 123's.