First Day and the End of an Era

What are the words that come to mind when you think back on the first day(s) of school?

Excited. Nervous. Curious. Tired. Anticipation. Pencils. Homework. Schedule.

As a mom, I've been looking forward and dreading this day for 10 years. The day that all of my children will head off to school, the same school, at the same time. Its a perfect storm. It will only last for 2 years, before my eldest will head off to Junior High, which is a completely different animal. Here they are, lined up, dutifully, on the front porch:

And, then because I'm their mother, this is what the next picture has to look like:

Every one had a fantastic day, and we're grateful to God for allowing them to get settled into their new school. A good life lesson for, Peyton espeically, is that worrying about something for 9 months isn't a way to live, especially when it was going to be just fine, all along.

A good life lesson for this mommy is that there's no need to feel guilty for not being sad your baby's leaving home when you know she's ready to leave. I left school today feeling like I should be teary, but really I was gleeful that we'd passed onto the next phase. The school phase. My mom said that there's no guilt in mothering when you're doing the best possible thing for your child. Avery is ready to go to school, and our family is ready to leave the baby phase, and move forward to school. It was going to be just fine, all along.

How was everyone's first day at your house?!