Back to School!

I know that I should be excited about back to school...especially after 3 months with 3 kids around ALL the time...but I'm always a little sad when school starts. First, I have to be more scheduled...yuck! Second, the pace of life torpedos into warp speed - for example, we also begin soccer practice today. And thirdly, I miss those girls - and this year, SO DOES LUKE! I cannot count the number of times I have answered the two questions - "Where is Kyla?" and "Where is Summer?"

However, my lack of excitement about school starting is countered in the universe by the extreme excitement that the girls had about school this year! Do these pictures capture it, or what...

The girls knew what outfits they would wear weeks ago and school supplies were all purchased back in July.

Summer had a countdown going just for the "Meet the Teachers" night - which was last Thursday...and she continued to ask me "How many days until school starts?" multiple times all weekend. At first, I was concerned about her - I wondered if her short term memory was failing her at a young age...ha!...but then I realized she just liked hearing how close the school year start was.

For the first time, the girls set alarm clocks to wake themselves up this morning. Since it was the first time, they popped right out of bed and promptly got dressed. I hope that the trend continues, however, if they are anything like me....and maybe you...over time the sound of the alarm clock can become incorporated into dreams, or just ignored completely and suddenly you're not getting out of bed at the time that you thought you would.

One of the best treats of the morning - Dad's Egg Bread. For those of you unfamiliar with egg bread...you may call it 'french toast.' Kyle had been in Bristol, TN all weekend...watching the NASCAR races with his friend Brian Evans...and the girls hadn't seen him since Wednesday night. They were tickled when they came downstairs and Dad not only was home, but was also cooking them one of their favorite breakfast treats.

Before school was out for the summer, I put in requests for the girl's teachers...something I hadn't ever done before, but I did at the encouragment of Kyla's teacher, Mrs. Lanham. I feel fortunate that we were able to get the teachers that we 'wanted,' and both girls have close friends in their classes (that can be a positive or negative...depending on the "talking factor"). Summer's teacher is Mrs. Coronado - a familiar face to her because she is only a few doors down from her classroom from last year. Kyla's teacher is Mrs. Maryfield - she is also a familiar face because she is in the second-half of the same portable that Kyla was in last year. Well, at least that is where their classes are for now...come December/January...if everything continues on schedule...they will move into their new school facility. Mrs. Maryfield actually hinted that they may begin to use the new gym and cafeteria even before that!

And now it begins...another year of reading, writing, 'rithmetic', and all the rest. It will be the last year...until high school...that the girls will be at the same school due to the intermediate (5th/6th) and Jr. High (7th/8th) campuses. Can my girls really be starting 2nd and 4th grade?