First Day of School

Hey y'all -

Laney's school is only a few blocks from our house, so all last year, we could almost wait for the first bell to ring and still make it there before the second bell. We went two full years without a single tardy. [Side note to Laney: Your end-of-year report from kindergarten actually had "Tardies: 1" on it, and I told your dad I was going to march up to the school and get that corrected, but your dad said "Leave that poor woman alone." So I did. But you and I know the truth: if you don't get into Harvard one day because you have a tardy on your permanent record, you can blame your dad for being a quitter.]

THIS year, though, a big school bond passed and Laney's 100+ year-old school is getting a massive overhaul. While the school building is closed for an entire year for renovation, they're bussing the entire student body over to a previously-vacant school waaaay on the other side of town. We now have to be at the bus stop at 7:45, which is the time we used to wake up. This stinks. It also stinks because even more than when you left for kindergarten, Laney, I feel like you're leaving us and growing up. There's just something about getting on a bus. This is about where I started crying this year on the first day:

You, of course, thought I was nuts, because with your cowgirl boots and Scooby Doo lunchbox, you were ready to rock n' roll. 

Later later, second grader. 

Our second drop-off that morning didn't go so well. 

Hagen was not interested in kick-starting his first day of preschool at his new school:

First he tried the classic move of the nonviolent resistance movement: The "Go Limp." It took a nudge from Grandpops just to get him through the front door. 

This one baffled me a little, because Finley is in your class (as are Dylan and Kai, the only other two little dudes in the world you seem to like) and there's a metric ton of Legos and a slide and pet chickens. So I'm not sure what's not to love, although Ms. Correy DOES like to serve quinoa for lunch, so maybe that's it. 

It didn't take long for her to start texting me pictures of you having a fine time, though, which made me feel better.

That afternoon, Laney got off the bus just as excited about school as she'd been when she boarded it that morning. 

Hope all this well-adjusted happiness lasts. 

Love,

Mom