Back 2 School

I think this year I have been more ready than ever to have the kids go back to school. With moving and trying to get settled into our new home, I have had so much to do and the kids have been bored without their friends to play with. They are loving the new friends they have made in our new neighborhood, it's just taking some time.
Bruce is in first grade and Will is in second grade this year. They met their teachers two days ago at open house and were so excited about going to their new school. They came home from school very excited and loved their day.
Elizabeth is in sixth grade this year and started middle school. In our last school district, sixth grade was still in the elementary school so this new year has been toughest on her. Monday night we went to the open house at the middle school where she fought her way through hoards of people in the hallway to find her locker. Aaron tried helping her figure out how to unlock it, but she was so flustered and overwhelmed by it all that she was crying. She met her teachers who were all so sweet and tried to reassure her there would be people around the first few days to help with lockers, finding classes, etc. I took her back to the school on Tuesday to practice her lock again and do a walk through of her schedule, but she was still terrified this morning to go. I wish I could just go spend the first few days with her, but I know that wouldn't help anything. I just keep telling her it will get a little better everyday. My heart aches for her right now. She tells us she is never going to move out of our house and at times like this, I think I believe her!
Justin, on the other hand, tells us all the time he can't wait to go to college and be on his own. He wasn't nervous at all to start a new school. I don't think he was excited, but at least he wasn't nervous. He is in the seventh grade and in the same school as Elizabeth, but they won't really see much of each other. He has a few classes with boys from church, but is on his own most of the day.

I remember reading in a scrapbook magazine a few years ago a page by Lisa Bearnson when her son started a new school and how painful it was for her to watch him as he struggled to find his place. Her journal entry keeps coming back to me as I see my kids begin this new year of school in a new place. I know it's tough right now, but I know who they are and I am confident they will adapt and make new friends. I keep just thinking how important it is they can come home and feel loved at home after a long, hard day of not really knowing where they fit in.

This was my attempt to help them feel loved when they came home from school today. I am not a cake decorator by any means, but I found these cute cupcakes online (here) and wanted to make something fun for the kids to celebrate their first day back. They were a big hit!

I have had a few people ask me if the little girls were sad today that the older kids were gone...absolutely not! I told Madelyn yesterday that we would play Barbie's after the kids went back to school. As soon as the bus left this morning, she was ready to play and had a whole day's worth of activities for me to do. I can't believe this will be my last year with Madelyn home and then it will just be Naomi. How sad!