Back to School

Well yesterday I had an almost completed post of my complete unbelief that summer is done and school is starting and between one of my runs to check on dinner lo and behold no more post. So without all the ramblings of a mother, who loves summer time and is heart broken that it is over for the year, we are right into the school year. Leah entered fourth grade and Sam entered second grade and my heart wanted to turn them back onto little two year olds again.... just for a quick hug. I had more butterflies in my stomach than they did. Their description of how they felt this morning was, Sam is just excited and Leah is nervous excited (she just hopes she remembers everyone's names)

She would visibly entertain her mental fears for a moment and in the next the thrill of seeing her old friends again would awaken that adorable, funny, and confident girl within.
Leah has been growing up before my eyes (and I live with her.) Something has awakened in her little mind and I see her longing for more responsibility. She longs to be entrusted with more independence and seems to understand that this treasure that she seeks must be earned. This stage she is entering is both breath-taking and beautiful. I love to see her eyes sparkle with each new piece of treasure that she has earned. Confidence bound in joy overflows her little soul. I can't wait to hear of her ventures through fourth grade, friendships, and herself.
And then there is Sam who really, truly, honestly did not understand what his mother was going on about whenever she showed emotions about him entering second grade. He is such a boy.
He just semi-patiently waited for me to do my job and drive him to school already.
"The only hard part of going back to school is waiting for you to take me there" - Sam
You can't say that I did not warn them. Actually his teacher this year has 1 year old twins so my comment to Ian last night was, "I just hope a summer with 1 year old twins has helped ready Sam's teacher for the school year with him."
And then our sweet Emma who so desperately wanted to go to school too. We packed her lunch box and got her backpack already, she did not want to miss out on anything that she did not have to. Dropped the kids off, went to the store and less than an hour after dropping the kids off she said, "Mom it's time to go pick up the kids now."
My yearly I insist picture. They keep growing on me, they could hardly sit next to each other on the step this year.
And there they go..... Love these kids, so proud of them and so excited to see what this next school year holds.