The big boys have completed one week of school! We celebrated Friday night with Red Mango, and all of us crashing at 8:30 that night. :) I have experienced so many emotions this week, and at times ones that are conflicting (I wonder if they have too??), but we made it. Last Sunday we returned home from a wonderful trip to Colorado with Aaron's family, that I will write about soon, and made lunches, laid out clothes, and got backpacks ready for the first day of school. Eli and Micah were both excited, I was teary, and Isaac just wanted all of us to "stop talking about school!" That night as I was laying in bed, all I could think about was when I was on bed-rest with them, laying on our couch downstairs, and feeling them have the hiccups at the same time, longing to hold them and SEE them. And now here we are, ready for school. And the scary thing is, everyone tells me time just goes faster from here on out! I cried, and then had the thought, that one of the goals of parenting is to let your kids go. When I look ahead 20 years, I don't want to see 2 grown men that can't leave my side. I want them to be independent and confident on their own. You really do raise your kids to let them go. I know that looks different for everyone, but this was the right step for us at this time.
That first morning, I took them to school. We have about a 16 minute drive, and their school is a little tricky in the parking/drop-off area, so I got kind of confused when we got there. Instead of parking and walking with them to their line-up area, I dropped them off, and had to drive away with Micah just standing looking like he didn't know where to go. I pulled over and parked right away, and ran back to check on him, but he had made it to his class and was fine. I later found out that our good friends who have a 1st grader at the same school were right behind us, and their little guy jumped out and helped the boys find their class. But seeing Micah standing there will forever be burned into my memory, and not really in a good way! Isaac and I went to run errands after that, and it was so weird. So was lunch. For the first time in my life as a mom, I have one kid, and it is this strange mix of missing the boys and enjoying the break. I think that is what has surprised me, that I would feel sad that they were gone, but also a bit of relief that my mind and body have a break from mentally and physically keeping up with 3 boys.
They have done great overall. I know they miss each other during the day, and lunch is hard for them. They sat together once, but usually they just see each other but can't sit together and that is hard. They are super hungry when I pick them up, but not really all that wiped out. It absolutely is an adjustment, for all of us, and I know we all need extra doses of grace for each other.
Saturday they played Legos almost all day, just enjoying being together and at home.
I felt weird this week too. Part of me missed her and part of me enjoyed the relative quiet and lack of the two girls fighting. The second day was worse for me after I saw a little boy crying for his mommy at school, then I worried about her all morning long until pick up time. You are right, it's hard but at the same time it's what we're supposed to do. :)
ReplyDeleteWhere are your boys going to school this year? I think you were still undecided when we talked about it last. We are homeschooling Megan for 2nd grade this year. Honestly, it was an adjustment for me NOT to send her back to school. I will have 3 kids all school year, except when Courtney is in preschool 3 mornings a week. Charla Ruwe
ReplyDeleteI'm having mixed emotions about Heath starting this week as well. We'll see how it goes!
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