And here we are. Another year of the first day of school.
Hannah Kate's first day of 3rd grade was yesterday. She is so excited to be a part of Sequitur this year. She goes to "school" on Monday and Wednesday mornings. One of the things we've had the most fun with is her little uniform. Her PawPaw saw her navy blue and white micro-check skort laying over the chair when he came over last weekend, and he told her on Sunday he was disappointed that she didn't wear it to church. We explained that it was her school uniform. Her daddy said it was a little old fashioned. He also made fun of her Keds. I used to wear Keds to school. And I loved them. He told me I should get a pair for myself. He can be so funny sometimes. Really though. It doesn't get much more precious than this!
I walked in with her yesterday to help her find her class and also to meet her teacher. We were early, but Hannah Kate didn't want to wait. She was so ready to go. I wish I would've taken my phone in with me to get a picture of Hannah Kate with her teacher, but I didn't. Miss Hager is the most darling thing ever! When I saw her again last night at parent orientation, she was so sweet as she told me what she'd learned about Hannah Kate so far. And you know what? She got it right. She gets my girl.
Last year I made sure that our school day officially began at 9:00 each morning. That worked well and gave everyone time to really wake up and eat breakfast and make beds and even play a little bit. We got home around 8:00 this morning after dropping Mason off at Sequitur. By 8:20, Hannah Kate couldn't stand it any longer. She asked if she could go ahead and do her assignments. Well, of course you can! She was bouncing off the walls tonight at bedtime because she was so excited to go back tomorrow. I think she wishes she went to Sequitur everyday!
And today was Mason's first day of 6th grade. Sixth grade. Let that sink in a minute.
But wait. Middle school. Y'all. My kid, my son (my FAVORITE son, no less!), my Mason IS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
Mason was pretty excited to go back to school today, too. He was mostly ready to see his buddies. He has the same teacher as last year, and we are so thankful for that. Mrs. Carpenter really gets him, too, and she has been a huge blessing to our family. When I picked him up afterwards, I didn't even get the question out of my mouth before he answered with a resounding, "Awesome!" Mason has NEVER described school as awesome before, not even last year. Last year we moved up to "good." And now we're at "awesome." He said he had the most fun day. When I asked him what was fun about it, he said they walked a little through their history book, and it looked so "fun and interesting." Huh? If I didn't know any better, I'd think he was sick. But he's not. He's genuinely excited about school this year!
I can't talk about the first day of the school year without telling you about our littlest one either. She was excited about "school" last year, but that excitement quickly waned. By the time Christmas break rolled around, she was pretty much done. She completely and totally lost all interest in her workbooks, numbers and letters. Her coloring was atrocious. So we quit. She was three.
Well, now she's four, and I guess that made all the difference in the world. Ever since our school books arrived last month for the older two, she's been begging to get her workbooks back out. She follows me around the house with them in her hand. So Monday morning we sat down together. I have to say I was really impressed. I wasn't expecting much. But she nearly finished an entire workbook! She grew impatient with the coloring parts of it (but at least she stayed in the lines and colored like a normal person!) and only wanted to do the written work.
Y'all, this girl is a MESS. She was cracking me up. I don't know why or where this even came from, but she sat there nearly the whole time doing the duck face while she worked!
When she realized I was taking her picture, she started giggling, but she was trying to hold it in.
And then she got serious.
She was also hot-to-trot to use her new scissors (thank you, Cindy!) and glue.
I guess this year is technically pre-k for Ellie. I'd decided not to do a formal pre-k curriculum with her but to instead finish working through the little books I'd purchased last year, along with some additional phonics and numbers practice. But now I'm rethinking that decision. I know it's only day two, but if she stays this motivated, we just might do it.
I have never been excited about the beginning of a new school year. Last year was the closest I got, but I was also so nervous because it was our first year homeschooling, and I just had no idea what to expect. But this year I have been genuinely excited. Mason and Hannah Kate are more excited than I have ever seen them about a school year before. It's been a LONG time coming. But it feels good. Something tells me this one will be the best yet!