First Day of School

Today was Ashley's first day of school. I was so emotional. At the beginning of August, Brent and I decided that we would not be able to send Ashley and Ty to St. Sophia's this year, which was such a hard thing, because we loved that sweet little school and so did the kids. Instead they are attending Butler Elementary. Ty will start Kindergarten there next week and Ashley started 1st grade today. It is the same elementary school that I went to, which is kinda fun. We went to an open house last week and it was fun to walk the halls again after so many years. I was surprised how much was still the same.

The kids in our neighborhood are bused to the school, so Ashley has to be at the bus stop at 7:45 a.m. This morning, my sweet little grown up girl woke up on her own at 6:55 and jumped in the shower. It was a bit of a shock to have a morning routine again, but we got it together and Brent and I walked her down to the bus stop.

Half way down the hill, she whispered to me, "Mom, I'm scared." I told her not to worry, and to remember how she made friends at the pool this summer just by introducing herself to others, since the other kids are probably shy and nervous too. When we got to the kids at the bus stop, she walked up to the group of "big kids" and no one said hi, even though she knew most of them. I watched my sweet little scared girl standing there quietly and I was nervous for her too. When the bus came, I snapped some pictures and watched my sweetheart get on the bus. Then I started to cry.

This seemed so much harder than St. Sophia. St. Sophia was safe, kids there were nice and everyone knew each other--big kids and little kids. Now here she was entering the unknown world of public school and I knew all too well how unkind that place can sometimes be.

I prayed she would have a good bus ride and that she would make lots of new friends in her class. I prayed she would enjoy her first day so that she would not miss St. Sophia and would look forward to going to Butler.

Brent and I walked back home. When we got inside I realized she had forgotten the paper doll we had made to look like her that her teacher had asked her to bring today. So Brent and I got the kids in the car and drove down to the school. Brent took her doll to her as she was outside waiting for the teacher to open the 1st grade door and let all the kids in.

I'm actually glad that she forgot the doll, because when Brent got back in the car, he told me she was already chatting away with the kids in her class and when he brought the doll, she just said, "Oh, good! Thanks!" and then turned right back to chatting. I was so relieved that she seemed fine. I think I would've been a nervous wreck today if it weren't for that.

When she walked in the door after school today, she called out, "I'm home!" She had a great day and made lots of new friends. She is excited about school and likes her teacher. I'm so glad it went well. I'm still quite emotional, however, about my baby who is not a baby or even much of a little girl anymore. She's the big girl who rides the bus.