FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 2022-2023

We celebrated our first day back to (home)school by venturing out to MayDay, a local ice cream shop, with our 12th, 11th, 7th and 5th graders. Our last first day of school with everyone present, because next year our oldest will be graduated (we can’t think about it, we don’t think about it, no one thinks about it, okay?)

It was also the last first day with someone in elementary school, still living and learning in that magical world of childhood. We don’t think about that either.

Not to mention, it was the first day of having a child in college, our 11th grader is dual-enrolling, and I realized I am not teaching him his main academic courses this year. I wish I could have said that two years ago when we were dissecting worms and frogs in Biology, but we (sort of) had fun. Mainly, we made it through, because that’s how schooling at home is sometimes.

Today was the first day of my youngest son being in 7th grade – the stage in-between little boy and teenager. If it wasn’t so selfish I would wish for him to be a little boy forever, but he’s growing into such an amazing young man the world will be grateful I didn’t.

I love my kids. I love the journey Paul and I have been on with each of them, and as we look at the year ahead, somehow it doesn’t seem officially started until we glimpse all that is behind. We take deep breaths. Yes, they’re growing up, but they’re not grown yet. Yes, they will each have their own lives someday, but right now we are still together.

I’m not sure why pre- “leaving home” melancholy hit me so hard this year, but I’m doing a lot of praying, crying, pondering, journaling, eating of ice cream, and I’ve decided I’m choosing to be grateful for this year and to celebrate, celebrate, celebrate with all the fun things we can think of!

Have you ever hit what you would consider a milestone year in your life? How did you handle it? I’d love to hear your story. Please comment below if you want to share.

So I’m not sure who snapped this awkward photo (above) but it’s the only one with Paul and I in it to officially document we were there. At one point a kerfuffle started outside for all to see, but the security officers took care of it and we were able to make it past them to the car. Judging by the look on her face in this photo I think Elizabeth is catching the first glimpse of it!