Changes - 1st Day of School

We've had a lot of changes in our lives recently.

Some of it good, some of it not-so-good.

But there's something to be said about change. It awakens you. It makes you realize that nothing is ever guaranteed to stay the same. And it makes you take stock of things and think about whether this "change" is something that should have happened a long time ago, or maybe it was just all in God's timing.

And while the difficult changes are taking a while to iron themselves out, I'm trying to focus more on the positive changes that have been happening. For example...

School is back in session!

Payton is in 3rd grade now, so he's an old pro when it comes to his elementary school. He's familiar with the campus. He's comfortable with the learning environment. He's got more friends than he knows what to do with, and he loves his teacher this year.

Here are a few pics from the first day:

At open house, his teacher sent home a letter with instructions to open it the night before school. Inside was a cute poem and a packet of "Jitter Glitter" which was to be sprinkled under his pillow to help ease any 1st day nerves.

You know I was vacuuming up this stuff first thing the next morning. :)

Here are the boys holding their grade signs. So cute.

 

Not sure about my crazy looking smile. I don't like auto-timers. Also, do you like how Payton & I have a ninja grip on Parker's arm? He kept picking his nose thinking it was funny. Okay, it was a little funny. :)

My boys. So handsome.

Payton immediately settled right into his seat and started chatting with his neighbors.

 

Parker on the other hand. Well...his first day didn't get off to such a great start. He was super happy when we arrived at his new class. We showed him his cubby and had him take a little picture in front of it:

 Then we made our way over to the table which was set up with some Play-Doh (which he loves) and began playing with one of his teachers. He was perfectly happy until I said, "Okay, I love you" in that "this-is-my-way-of-saying-goodbye" voice. Then...the meltdown occurred.

Pre-meltdown - happily playing Play-Doh

Brian snapped this photo - accidentally, I believe.

That's me in the white shorts walking away from my screaming child as one of the teachers goes to intercept him from re-attaching himself to my leg. He's screaming if you can't tell.

That poor little girl in the pink is looking at him like, "Dude...this class is awesome, why ya makin' such a fuss?!?"

I was reassured at pick-up that he only cried for a few minutes.

I know this to be true because I stood outside the classroom until I could hear that he had stopped.

Thank God Brian was with me because I may have just gone back in and scooped him up and said, "Thanks ladies, but we'll try again next year." But Brian promised me that he would be fine and reminded me that Payton did this for months when we first started dropping him off at the church nursery.

They do get comfortable eventually...right???

He actually did much better today, and it's only his 2nd day. So that gives me hope. I love the school so much, and I know he will too once he gets used to being away from his mommy.

Being back in school mode has been great so far (except for the crying issue with Parker). The boys are worn out and ready for bed by 8. They're also up early, which is good. I hate waking kids up for school.

So now I'm taking stock of all of these changes in our lives and realizing that change is good. It's making me grow in some areas that I didn't know I needed to. It's showing me that shaking things up a bit is healthy. And it is definitely reminding me that I love my family...something fierce.