Flickr photo by Caitlinator, creative commons
The alarm went off early at our house today.
It's the first day of school. The first day of middle school for our youngest, the first day of senior year for our middle child. Beginning of a beginning and the beginning of an ending.
I feel a little like throwing up.
How about you?
No, just joking here. Kind of.
I bet you know what I'm feeling. You may even be feeling it yourself right now. You try so hard to be the cheerleader, to keep everybody's spirits up, to be positive, to answer all the questions your sweeties ask.
Questions like...
What if I'm too early? What if I'm too late?
What am I supposed to do when I walk inside the school?
What if I have to go to the gym cause I'm too early and I don't have anyone to stand with?
Are you allowed to talk in the hall?
Can you stop and talk to your friends or do you have to keep moving?
What if I can't open my locker?
What if the 7th and 8th graders are mean?
What if I don't have anyone to sit with at lunch?
You finally answer all the questions, for the second and third time.
Then, as your youngest leaves you, kissing your hand so that no one can see, he says,
"Oh no! I just realized! THERE'S NO MORE RECESS!"
It's a good day for coffee. In a BIG mug.
I've weathered these changes before. You'd think that by the third time around, I'd be a pro at this. I'd have it all down pat. Not so, daddy-O.
I might know better to anticipate the feelings, the tugging of the invisible cord that connects my heart to theirs, but the feelings don't change.
So today I'm praying for kids everywhere as they start a new year, and for the moms and dads who love them. Help us all remember, God Of Beginnings And Endings And Everything In Between, that you go with us in every new adventure. Though you've seen it all and weathered it all, your love for each one of us is still as passionate as ever.
Have a great Monday, y'all!
Before you scatter, tell me, any adventures starting up in your life? I'd love to hear about what's new for you!
Love, Becky
Get that big batch of cookies baked for their welcome home. How exciting!!
ReplyDeleteSmiles,
Teresa
I too used to make a cake or cookies for the kids to have after school, at least on the first few days...
ReplyDeleteNothing new on my end, although God knows I'd love some thing new and good and hopeful! one day, perhaps...
*for the moms and dads who love them. Help us all remember, God Of Beginnings And Endings And Everything In Between, that you go with us in every new adventure. Though you've seen it all and weathered it all, your love for each one of us is still as passionate as ever.*
ReplyDeletethx for this Rebecca! i guess i've lived through and am, once again, living through more of those endings and beginnings... a bit tiring in the moment of it!
right now waiting for admin to pick up the ball for the care of my family member with alzheimers. had to return from my church planting in scotland to get the ball bouncing here which resulted in the planting venture being cancelled. soooo, transition time. not my fave. praying for next steps but recognizing my need of rest and recovery. even for the energy required for good caring of another. once that's resolved then what's next for me ...
thx for asking. it feels better to share the load :)
School is starting here too...exciting, but yes, a little sad. Ever since our oldest started school, I just feel as if time is moving so quickly.
ReplyDeleteThank you for praying for kids everywhere, and reminding me to do the same.
This makes me bawl, and now I kinda want to throw up. Just kidding. Kind of.
ReplyDeleteIt just goes too fast. I'm not good at letting go. Too hard. Nope. Not gonna do it. These kiddos of mine are just gonna have to stay here with me forever.
:)
*sigh*
I feel better now. ;)
We watched "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" last night and this post brought it all back. We, too, are gearing up for the beginning of school. It will be a "first" for us as our baby heads off to kindergarten! Yikes. Am I ready? It will be bittersweet, and I will be drinking lots of coffee, I know that. But I love how you end with the assurance that God is going with us. That thought got me through many transitions, and I suspect many more, including the last transition from this life to the next. One at the time, though, right? :)
ReplyDeleteOh, Becky...I sent a boy off to college today. Need I say more?
ReplyDeleteI'm right with you, friend!
School's in full swing here! Teachers started here 2 weeks ago and students have been in session 7 days. Whew.
ReplyDeleteHmm. I guess I've got big changes and little changes going on, and this year the beginning of the school year will be one of the smallies. But I'll still be sad for summer to end.
ReplyDeleteYou should go back to teaching then you could be so disgusted with vacation being over you wouldn't have time to feel sad about your kids--you'd be too busy feeling sad about you! Haha! I just realized today that I have no more kids in public schools! oh no! I'm taking my baby to college Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteQuite a touching post and insightful comments. I don't have any children, but I remember being one. Thanks for reminding us to pray for the little ones. There can never be too much prayer. Take care of yourself, as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the good wishes, y'all.
ReplyDeleteTeresa & Mompriest, I didn't make time for cookies, I'm afraid--as I couldn't wait to take advantage of a quiet house to write in-- but we did make some s'mores when Sam got home. He survived Day 1. I keep telling him that it'll get better!
FH&C, sounds like you have a lot on your plate. R&R is so important. I'll pray for you!
Amy & Kat, it shocks me how fast time moves. The days can be long but the years fly by.
Roxanne, Sam loved that movie. I need to watch it again with him. And your youngest is heading to school? That must really pull on the heart strings!
Laura, oh we really are right together. The move to college is a big ole mix of happy sad excited gut-wrenching.
Cathy, I'll be glad when we get 2 wks under our belts. The beginning is the hardest, I think.
Adrienne, it's good when the beginning of the school year is one of the smallies. I hope your big changes are happy ones!
Dawn, no more kids in public school? Now that is a milestone! I'll be thinking of you Wednesday.
Susan, I agree. There can never be too much prayer. We all need it!
We really need that prayer at our house--thanks! School starts tomorrow, and we've been wrestling with a whole range of emotions. Yes, excitement and worry do go hand-in-hand. :) (I just wrote a post this morning about learning to accept mixed feelings, and roll with them.)
ReplyDeleteWhen it's all said and done, as parents, our emotions are so tied to theirs. You put it perfectly:
"I might know better to anticipate the feelings, the tugging of the invisible cord that connects my heart to theirs, but the feelings don't change."
School starts here(NC) next Wed. I have one in high school and one in college.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Bren
PS Have decided to follow along with you. Hope you can stop by Grace soon and follow along too. I love SC I grew up there.
Oh yeah, we've got the first day of school here tomorrow. My little guy starts kindergarten, and the big guy will be in 3rd grade. It's the oldest who is keeping me up tonight with all his anxious questions. Change is hard. I am trying to be patient. I suspect I will need a big, fat cup of coffee tomorrow! :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to read in the comments that Sam survived his first day...it DOES get easier!
thank you for the prayers. Also some for those of us who have to go back to work!! But I still have 2 more weeks (and the kids 3 weeks) until school starts around here....
ReplyDeleteWOW, you start school early out there on the east coast! A couple years ago, MN passed a law that schools couldn't start before Labor Day, so our kids will go back Sept. 7. Perhaps they have a shorter Christmas (er, Winter) Break than your so? I think our break runs midday Dec. 23 through Jan. 2 this year... not positive. AND our particular school district always finishes before the end of May. Maybe our kids just don't learn as much as yours! :(
ReplyDeleteHeidi
Yep, we do start early! But we finish the first week of June (usually.) I'm never ready--it seems wrong to go back when it's still in the nineties outside!
ReplyDelete