Wohoo! Yes! It's finally here...the first day of school! Brandon was ready after meeting his (incredible!) first grade teacher at last week's Open House. The boys have been getting ready for back to school, all with different start dates over the next two weeks. Brandon headed back first at our local elementary school where he will begin his first grade adventures with his best friend, Sophia, beside him in Ms. X's class (arguably the best teacher at the school...we are SO fortunate!). We attended an Open house at the school last week and Brandon practiced all day how he would introduce himself. He settled for a simple, no-frills statement, "Hi Ms. X. My name is Brandon." and a firm handshake. His class is rich in diversity which we've grown accustomed to during his preschool years (lots of University professors children from around the globe) and quite pleased to continue on with that beautiful exposure and experience. His teacher has a basket full of "peace rocks" (rocks collected from the shores of Lake Erie in which she draws peace signs onto with marker) and hands them out to the students at random whenever she catches them doing a kind / helpful act or stating a kind phrase to others. Brandon and Sophia (& Andrew!) proudly acquired their first peace rock after open house since Ms. X caught them as they spent 2-1/2 hours helping Sophia's mom & me unpack, organize & deliver (heavy!) boxes of school supplies to each classroom.
After realizing none of the classrooms in the big school were his and that he would be returning to his early childhood school without his brother, Andrew stomped down the hallway at the big school loudly making his displeasure known to anyone who would listen. You can catch at glimpse of his continued disappointment in one of the photos below in which his little shoulders are hunched over as he gazes upon his brother now seated in his 1st grade classroom.
After a celebration breakfast Brandon gathered his lunchbox and backpack and started off on his walk to school. As we arrived at the school, neat lines of students were starting to form and it was exciting to watch as our friends and neighbors trickled onto the school's sidewalk with eager kids leading the way to morning line-up. As the school bell rang out the students calmly entered into the school hallways lined with smiling teachers and the scent of (strong) coffee. Heading to their assigned classrooms backpacks were hung on the classroom hooks and the children quickly took to their assigned seats. In Brandon's 1st grade class, Ms. X had neatly placed reading books, nametags and a stuffed dalmation puppy on each desk winning an instant entry in Brandon's book of Things I Like About My Teacher. After greeting his new classmates Brandon flipped open his copy of Zoobooks and as I drifted happily out of his classroom with a dejected Andrew in tow, I could hear Brandon eagerly ask his deskmate if he knew how to read. Off I went to the PTA coffee as visions of apples, books, children and dalmations danced in my head.
Happy school days everyone!
If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers. ~Edgar W. Howe
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