Back to School 2013

  My elementary school crew

This summer, as every one before it, flew by at the speed of whatever the fastest thing you can think of is.  A couple of weeks ago when I started getting school packets in the mail I thought they were sending them out earlier than usual (denial at its finest).  I told myself that I didn't need to buy into the whole idea of every kid needing new school clothes and then two days ago I panicked that none of my kids had new school clothes and took 8 of them shopping at the same time.  The best part of that day was when I had 6 of my kidlets somehow attached to the shopping cart at Target and two walking alongside.  They were happily and dramatically singing bits of Les Mis to each other (except for Little X who wouldn't stop singing Fish Heads) and quoting Monsters U when and a random kid pointed at us and loudly proclaimed to his mom, "Oh, WOW!"  I like to think we looked like a parade float of happiness.  I'm wishing in hindsight that I had taken a picture, but I didn't.

Anyway, yesterday was the first day of school for 6 of my family.  Our sleep schedule is still in summer mode but I think we managed pretty well in the morning.  I got everyone fed, packed lunches, prettied-up some hair and made sure that teeth were brushed.  All-a-Boy and Thumbelina biked off just after 7:00 and Cowgirl was the only one at the new bus stop just across the street from our house when the middle-schoolers' bus pulled up at 7:30.  Then as I concentrated on getting the elementary schoolers ready I realized I had forgotten to take pictures of the other three.  Oh, well.  I'm still living in a summer fog.  Some of them will have First Day of After School Pictures this year. 

First Day of School pictures:

 

Curly

Hubba

Princess

First Day of After School pictures:

All-a-Boy

Cowgirl

First Real Day of School picture:

 Thumbelina, who got her braces off yesterday - just in time!

Little O had kindergarten testing yesterday and he's super excited about going to school but really upset that he can't eat lunch at school like everyone else.  I'm pretty sure that if the "kindergarten testing" was really a test he would have failed miserably.  But he was sure cute trying!  The only letter of the alphabet he knew by sight was O because it's the first letter of his name.  He knew a few of the numbers and could hold his pencil the right way so I'll call it a success.  He also insisted on having his picture taken even though it's not his first day of school until next Wednesday.

ElemenoB moves into her college dorm next week.  She is also turning in her papers on Friday (as in, tomorrow!) to serve as a missionary for our church.  She plans to attend one semester of school and then serve an 18 month mission. She and Allen the Younger will overlap in missionary service by 6 months or so and won't see each other for 3 years.  That gets me every time I think about it.  

Allen the Younger has been on his mission for over a year.  I never thought I'd hear myself say it, but the time is flying and his weekly letters home (can you call email 'letters'?) have me checking my email every half hour on Mondays, sometimes into the afternoon.  I miss him like crazy but I love hearing about his experiences and the lessons he's learning.

 

 

I remember when old people used to talk about how time flies and I always thought they were crazy and sentimental.  I now have one child serving a mission, one going to college, a senior and freshman in high school, one 7th grader in middle school, kids in the 5th, 3rd and 1st grades, one starting kindergarten and just one left at home to keep me company.

   

I'm suddenly this mix between old people and weepy first-day-of-kindergarten mom and I'm trying to find ways to take in all I can and enjoy the happy moments.

Like seeing these faces when they can't hold still long enough to take a 'pioneer picture':

And remembering how lucky I am to be celebrating 21 years of marriage to this handsome guy:

Life is awesome!