School Has Started

Today, August 9th, was Jackson's first day of 4-year-old-preschool.

Umm, yes, you read that right. Jackson's school has gone to the year-round system. Wherein we lose half of our summer.

And so today, Maddie made the "first day of school" sign and secretly grinned realizing that she gets another full month of summer... Jackson posed, without knowing what was going on. And off we went to our little local public school. {I didn't have the heart to tell him that I moved him to the afternoon class so he wouldn't be seeing most of his friends every day. And I certainly did NOT tell him Triston wasn't going to be there. We'll just roll with that when he figures that one out. Didn't have the heart to let him down. There would have been wailing and gnashing of teeth had that news broken prior to entering the classroom.}

Oh, he's awfully proud of his new "big-boy" backpack, which, I might add, I got for $2.99 on clearance 3 years ago but I KNEW it would be perfect for little buddy some day. It'll be another great year, I'm confident of that, as his teachers this year were Maddie's preschool teachers, too. And we all know how much I loved them. So much so that Sara is now one of my favorite people! It's just sort of hard to believe he's four. Seems like he's grown up quite a bit this summer, getting taller and more 'big-boy' like.

I wonder what he will learn this year? I wonder how he will mature this year? I wonder what songs he will sing when he arrives home from school? I wonder how he will influence the other kids in his class? I wonder how he will help his teachers? I continue to wonder who he will become in the months, years and decades to ahead. Little buddy, you go out there and be kind ... and helpful ... and loving ... and generous ... and thoughtful ... and inclusive ... And THOSE are the things that will carry you very, VERY far in this world. Those things will please Jesus ... and your mommy and daddy. Love Jesus and love others. That about sums it up. Always. And forever.

{And if you just so happen to end up "being" an architect or engineer, we'll all just shake our heads and say, "Doesn't surprise us. You've been lining things up with great precision since you were one!"}