D-Day for Jeni!!!

Drop-off Day that it. AKA, the first day of school. This year was a little different in that it was the very first time I dropped ALL my children off and went home, all by myself. Okay Jim was technically in the car with me, but he came home and went straight to court. It was quiet....I mean QUIET around the house. No whining, no fighting, no Dora the Explorer, no laughter, no hugs, no being needed by anyone other than Chip, our new little chihuahua puppy. It was bitter sweet. But I will not lie, I enjoyed the day. Jim and I went out to lunch at our favorite little sandwich shop Angel's Cafe and I went to Target....all by myself. Wow, that was fun.

Oh, enough about me and the first day of school.....on to the kids. All three attend Heritage Christian Academy in Brunswick and they all LOVE IT there. Jake is in the 6th grade, Katherine 1st and little miss Lauren Leigh Pre-K.


This is how we started off our morning...

When I tell you all my kids have crazy hair in the morning I am not kidding!! Lauren with her mulkelberry (strawberry milk). I know, I know it's a sippy cup (really more like a cup with a lid) and she's 4, and she's starting school; but for pete's sake she's my baby. Oh and she's stubborn like her dad and I don't like to fight with her in the morning. So she gets her strawberry milk in a cup with a lid, it's like coffee for this 4 year old.

Jake was a bit nervous when we pulled up to the school and Jim hopped out of the van. He thought for sure Jim was going to walk him to the door or something way uncool like that. Luckily is was just for a quick picture. I think that is a smile of relief on Jake's face. He had a great day and really likes all of his teachers, three of whom go to our church.

Here we are walking the girls up to the school. Yep, I brought my blankie so I could camp out for the day.

Here is Lauren at her table. Notice the hair.....much better now!!! Once everyone arrived the whole class organized all the school supplies that were in their backpacks. We peaked back in and she was having a lot of fun.

Here is Katherine with a few of her classmates and the class gerbil "Cinderella". There are only 9 kids in her class and they are a sweet group of 1st graders. Miss Calicut is her teacher and Kat just LOVES her.

We are excited to see what God has planned for Jake, Katherine and Lauren this year. We'll keep you posted!!!

The Graduate

Say it isn't so....I have a child who's graduating?!? Well it's Kindergarten, but it's still enough to make you slow down and say, where have all the years gone. Didn't we just bring her home from the hospital and I swear it was only a few weeks ago that she had her first day of school. How can it be over already. I told Katherine she would always remember her Kindergarten teacher. I remember mine....Mrs. Arnt ~she drove a Subaru Brat, her husband was our dentist and I think of her every Christmas when I hang the walnut, painted like a strawberry, she gave us in a goody bag on the last day of school:)

This is Katherine with her sweet teacher Mrs. Halbert. I wonder what tidbits of info she'll remember about Mrs. Halbert when she is in her 30's and has children of her own.

Nonna and Pop were not able to make it to graduation but sent this great candy basket to Katherine!! Lauren is already dreaming about the candy basket she'll get when she graduates.

Katherine, in all her sweetness and without being told, offered some of her candy to her brother and sister. Even going so far as to tell Jake to take a bigger piece of candy, which he did of course.

She had a very successful first year of school. She recieved awards of excellence in phonics, reading and math. Jake also had a great LAST year of elementary school. He made the A/B honor roll for the year and recieved the Presidential Academic Excellence award. My mom and dad were able to join us for the graduation on Thursday night and the award program on Friday morning. It was a lot of fun!!