First day of school 2008

It's the first day of school 2008. All three kids were in good spirits this morning. Brady, perhaps a bit less than the girls, but I suppose by 8th grade you know too much of the reality of school to be enthused by its newness.

Anyway, they all ate bacon and cinnamon rolls for breakfast, then posed for the first day picture:


Abby's school is the closest, so we dropped her off first. I knew this was going to be the hardest one, because she'll always be the baby to me. I parked and walked her up to school, and as we got closer, I think it suddenly hit her that she's going to be all alone in this school. For the first time ever she won't have her big sister in the same school with her. She was a very brave little girl, and did her best to put on her bravest face.


So, after tearing up on the walk back to the car, it was time to take the big kids. KC wanted me to park and walk her up, too. Brady would have been happy if I'd dropped them a block away. We compromised on me dropping them off in the circle drive at school and taking pictures through the window.

I couldn't quite get them both looking at the same time, though.


When did they get to be so grown up? (sniff)


If you think I'm kidding about Brady growing up, here's a picture from me dropping him off on the first day of school last year:




I had no time to miss them right then, though, as Bill called me on my cell phone to let me know that they were looking for me in the library to fix a problem that I was pretty sure just needed a computer reboot (I was right, by the way).

I hope that all goes well for all three of them today, that they can find their classes, and that their teachers are good to them. No matter what age they are, I guess a mother's prayer is always the same. Please let them learn. Please let the other kids be nice to them. Please grant them strength, confidence, and courage. Watch over them and take care of them. I know they have to struggle a bit to grow, but please make their struggles as painless as possible. Make sure school is a place that they don't mind going every day. And bring them safely home every afternoon.


Hope everyone has a great start to whatever adventures the fall brings them (school, work, or just something fun and interesting). :-)