Strength in Numbers...5 and 2 To Be Exact

As UNexcited as these two were about school starting back up, they ended up having a great first day.

I ended up missing them. As usual. A lot.

Milestones keep happening and I keep shaking my head in unbelief of them occurring. Whether we want it to or not, time is just gonna keep-a-movin on. And unfortunately, kids are in all too big of a hurry to grow up. They don't listen to their parents when we tell them, "Enjoy this time! You have very little responsibilities and you are supposed to have fun!". They don't listen. I never did. Of course now, yes...I get it. Why was I in such a hurry?

But for today, I have a 5th grader and a 2nd grader.

I'm in 5th and I'm in 2nd! Handsome & Beautiful.

Wearing their red, white and blue (school colors), they took time for mom to take the traditional and "official" first day of school photo in front of the house. I usually get them in front of the school also, but that didn't happen this year. It is HOT outside! Instead, I settled for pictures with their sweet teachers inside in the air conditioning. (It was a record-tying high of 107 today!)

Shelby had a little anxiety going in the classroom only because she was sitting at a 4-top of all boys. Last year she sat at a 5-top with all boys. She was none too happy. It was explained to her the seating arrangement during the first week of school is temporary. She eventually came in, but still wasn't too happy. The trust-factor wasn't at its greatest! She ended up doing just fine.

Ben went right in. He's happy with the friends he has in his class this year. For the FIRST time he actually knows kids in his class. Hey...after five years, it was bound to happen. He was tired, but knew there was no fighting it and went on it.

When I picked them up they both were talking a mile-a-minute about what an "awesome" day they both had. They love their classes. Love their teachers. Love the school. Love. Love. Love. Shelby made some new friends and told me all about them and how they had all kinds of things in common. She found that quite remarkable.

Ben discovered many of his friends were now on XBox live and had all made an appointment after school to play on line together. Which they did. Loudly. It made me smile. Especially when he'd say, "Hey mom, come in here! Check out what we're building. Oh, and Miles says Hi. So does Kevin." :-)

At the end of the day, I got to get them all cleaned up and prepared for another day of school tomorrow. We snuggled on the couch under a blanket and I smelled that wonderful scent I love from the tops of their sweet heads. Ahhhhh...love. It literally slows my heart to a calm, calm beat. Every worry disappears.

Then we talked about starting two new things at bedtime. One is me reading a book to them. Not a picture book. "Not a baby-like book, mom," said Ben. No, maybe a classic book you will end up reading in your life anyway. Gulliver's Travels. Moby Dick (Ben: "Moby WHAT?!"). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. There are soooo many. Even some that aren't necessarily "classics" will be great.

Second new bedtime tradition: Name the high spot of our day. I know some people do the high and the low, but I say why focus on the negative? Why call it out? I want them to focus on the positive. I'm not too shocked at what they named. Ben: Recess ("Because I can do whatever I want with my friends."). Shelby: PE ("Because Coach Sweet made me a line-leader this year, I already won a race and I'm the fastest girl in 2nd grade." Well alrighty then...").

I must admit though, before bedtime...we did have a reminder at dinner of just how tired kids get when getting back on the schedule of school...

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

So here and now I pray for a smooth, happy, wonderful learning experience this school year for my two, amazing, precious, best-gifts-ever kids. I love you two so much. It amazes me every day to realize I love you more each day than I did the day before. You are going to learn so much this year, as am I. We will do it together. You are indeed my saving graces. xoxoxo