3 Kids, 3 Ways

The start of school was yesterday...and our first year to have 3 kids going 3 different directions:

Alex began his Freshman year of high school! He's now a Bear...going to the same high school that Brad and I met at. He's playing his saxophone in the marching band, so our first football game last Friday night found us sitting in the stadium listening to our old fight song, played on the same saxophone Brad played as a Bear. Coming full circle, we are. Because he has spent the last 3 weeks practicing with this band, we have been back and forth to the high school a ton. In that regard, we felt like we were living in limbo land. School had kinda started, but kinda not. We were just ready to get it going already and see what we were in for. Alex came home very upbeat and loved everything about it! Although I really assumed it would be that way, it was still a relief to hear it from him. I think he's in for a great high school experience! And although he was a bit hesitant to take this "first day of school" picture, I could have made it worse for him by following him there and taking his picture at school. He's learned a lot in his 14 years...like to put up with my first option, because the second option is always less pleasant!




Then we have sweet little Brenna, who is not so little but still so sweet! She began her first day of middle school. The excitement was strong, but the nerves were running wild. The biggest concern for her? Getting her locker open. We practiced and practiced at orientation, to mixed success. Brenna was very disappointed to learn that her dad and I would not be actually walking her into the school like we did in elementary. Believe me, I would have walked her to every class if I didn't know better than to subject her to that sort of social disgrace. So much to her disappointment, she was dropped off at the front of the school. (She, by the way, is going to the same middle school that I went to! So we really do keep things in the family.) Her day was a huge success. She has friends in each of her classes, found her way to each class without incident, and had lunch with a huge group of friends that she misses in her classes. And the dreaded locker? Mixed success. Fortunately, the teachers all stand in the hallway between classes to direct lost little 6th graders. So Brenna snagged one and had her open the locker. Another time she asked a friend for help. One time she even got it on her own! Just the nerves. And if they have to express themselves in some physical way, I guess this is a safe way! She left this morning very confident about opening it on her own each time today. I now look forward to the daily locker update!

And this little cutie is now a big 'ole 3rd grader! Beth was a bundle of nerves, and it was such a relief to me that we still get to escort her to the school and watch her wait in line with her teacher. It was tough to leave her, because I could see the jitters all over her face! It was another of those times as a mother when you pull out all your acting skills and be the calm, confident one. But it worked, and she let me hug on her and kiss her and she hugged on me and kissed me. Then I walked away, wiping tears after I was out of sight. She came home very excited about her teacher ("She's not nearly as strict as I thought she was going to be!") and very excited about her 3rd grade year. This is a big year ya know, you gotta learn those multiplication tables!

So we are off and running in three different directions! It's going to be a great year!!