Life

  Life breezes by, a breeze that slowly creeps up on you, warm with smells of the brink of autumn, with the passing saltiness of summer and the hint of the crispness of a mild winter and then rushes by with the hope of new awakening that spring brings.  That's hokey, but I like it :).  My two girls started a new elementary school and my son started middle school this week. They have so far done the hard stuff, like actually walking into rooms without a parent with grace and some other characteristic that I can't find the name for, but  impressed me greatly.
I keep trying to buy my son socks that don't fit.  This seems trivial, but I consider it an obvious sign that I would rather my kids not grow any further.  As hard as the young years are with kids hanging at my every thread, walking my son onto a campus with 1,000 other imperfect mid-size growth spurting people, I was the one holding onto threads, and wishing we could go back.
But I'm getting better at accepting our fates.  The principle mentioned that the parents might feel that they're sending their kids to school and when they get home they won't be the same person and she said we were right.  Implying that the kids are embarking on a new stage in life. I know what she means and I try to appreciate the goodness in that. I am the parent who would like to press fast forward through the teen years and just say to the kids, see you on the otherside.  I've often expressed to Brandon my fears of heartbreak for our kids, heartbreaks for us as parents as we have to watch kids make mistakes, possibly big ones.  Brandon has always come back with, but aren't you excited that we get to help them navigate this crazy time and what an exciting time it is.  This week I was able to feel that excitement.  Cole went into the crowd nervous and came back excited about drama (even though there are only four boys) and liking his math teacher (whew!).  I could tell he was more sure and excited about this new journey and it made me happy to be able to be a part of it. 
I always worry about my foibles in parenting really messing my kids up and I realize the jury is still out, but I can't be more proud of the young man my son is turning into.  He's not perfect, but I've definitely seen a maturity in him that I'm so proud of. 

It should be noted that the child takes after the same gender parent and I realize Brandon's a big part of this.  I read this today on pinterest...
http://www.mommamadeitlookeasy.com/2012/07/raising-strong-daughters.html

I need to read it daily and implement.

My girls have been really good with the whole starting the new school thing.  My ever so shy Laura was leading the pack to go to her class.  She's sitting in her chosen front of the room seat.  She likes her teacher.  I've given her the assignment to find out the name of the a person who could potentially be a good friend.  Don't even start on sending my beautiful red head to middle school....serioulsy might do homeschool on this one.  1000 kids, my head spins. I graduated with 32 people. Whew!
 
Hannah has stayed out of trouble in the "runs a tight ship" teacher's class and I couldn't be more proud.  But she did have to walk five laps because of someone else's behavior (I hate when they do that).  She got to stir a lollipop into soda on the first day. The teacher only had to add gum into that for Hannah to be in Hannah Heaven.  And she said the teacher read a story that was so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, funny! 

Everyone's gotten up and gotten going and seem happy to be where they are.  I was lamenting last night of how sad it will be when it's not longer exciting and it's not all new, which I'm kind of expecting by Friday :(.

First day pics, all other pics of Cole are with tongue out..