First Day of School and Bears

August 18, 2011

Where did summer go? Time really does fly when you are having fun (and as you get older - Ha!) Yesterday was the first day of school and I cannot believe that Jonathan is now a third grader or that Lauren is a middle school sixth grader!

Lauren was both excited and anxious. It took her a while to fall asleep and she didn't eat much of her breakfast. But despite the nerves, she was all smiles! We met all of her teachers earlier this week, and found all of her classrooms. This eased her worries about getting lost. Everyone was so nice!

This was the first time in seven years that I did not walk her into school, and it was so bittersweet. She had asked me to walk her in, but one of her best friends was right behind us in the car line, so she decided to walk in with her. I was sad to "let go" just a tiny bit more, but it was so precious to see her walking into that new school with one of her closest friends! It just seemed perfect!! 

Jonathan was just plain excited! His teacher was Lauren's third grade teacher, and the assistant in the class was his kindergarten teacher (Ms. Piland retired after Jonathan's kindergarten year, has substituted and tutored, and decided to return). We all love Mrs. Erb and Ms. Piland! It was like winning the lottery! Ha!

Jonathan is also very excited because he and Mrs. Erb have a special connection - they are both allergic to gluten. This is his chance to be the "special student". Love it!!

They both came home with huge smiles on their faces! "Awesome" was the word of the day!!

I was looking for a picture of Lauren on her first day of kindergarten, and I found this picture of Lauren and Jonathan on the day before her first day, taken before we went to "Meet the Teacher". They look so little, and it truly seems like yesterday!!

Sweet, sweet smiles!

This is Lauren on her first day of kindergarten, and I just wanted to cry after seeing it this morning! She looks so little and sooooo sad! She was so brave that morning. She did not cry until we got in the car to leave for school, and it was so heartbreaking. She didn't make a sound; sweet little tears just sort of trickled down her cheeks. It took everything in me not to cry with her! After I walked her to her classroom and settled her in, I cried all the way to my car, and off and on all day!

Oh, what I would give to go back and do all of those days over again! I am so, so blessed with these children, and I LOVE being their mother!!

We had another exciting event in our neighborhood yesterday. About five o'clock in the morning, our neighbor's two black labs scared a mama bear and her two cubs into a tree in their yard. They tried to take the dogs for a walk to see if she would come down, but there was no such luck. Some of our other neighbors were having trees cut down and the chain saws were running all day. The poor bear and her babies were up in that tree for over twelve hours. A little after five o'clock in the evening, she decided to come down with her babies. We didn't get to see her come down, but they said she and those cubs were moving fast!!

They were beautiful!

Just trying to take a nap.

I was glad all of the kids got to see them after school. Jonathan said he would have something to write about now! Love that kid!!

My neighbor took these pictures of the mama bear. He is a phenomonal photographer! I love the one of the paws - so incredibly beautiful!!