back to school

whew. this was a crazy week. 

i've been so busy the last two weeks. we were doing projects around the house while my husband was on vacation last week, and getting the kids ready for school. then school started and we are trying to get back on routine and figure out how all this driving... and packing lunches... and being out of the house before 8a.m. stuff works. 

i have a lot of little projects to catch you guys up on and i can't wait to share them, but first i want to share about my babies leaving me. haha! drama. if you are my friend on facebook or instagram, you've seen all these pictures and know a little about whats going on at home, but i want to document it here too.

Big A started first grade Monday. he was so nervous Sunday and even woke up in the middle of the night thinking he was going to throw up. the next morning he woke up and had decided that he wasn't nervous anymore, he was excited! the morning went smoothly and the first day was great. 

first day picture tradition

Big A's desk at school

then... Tuesday after school came and Big A announced that he decided he hated school and he and a friend in class were plotting their escape. i informed him that they have adults supervising and patrolling the school and he would get sent to the principle's office if he did try anything and he got a really serious look on his face! 

Wednesday he came home and said he wanted to cry at his desk, but didn't.

Thursday he came home and said he DID cry at his desk because he wanted me. 

and Friday... oh Friday my heart broke to a million pieces. my husband has Friday's off and we were all walking him to class when he stopped and just started losing it. he started crying really hard and didn't want to go to class. my friend, who is a teacher and his best friend's mom, started encouraging him and telling him Friday's were fun and the best day of the week. he pulled it together enough to walk the rest of the way to the door, then he lost it again. his teacher came out and said we could go and she would take care of it. she asked him to go to the bathroom and wash his face, then come back to class. he saw that we were walking away, then he started screaming and shouting for us, calling out our names. that's when i lost it. 

i hated leaving my baby there. i didn't want him to think that i didn't care. i wanted to rescue him and tell him he never had to go back. but i knew i had to let him work it out. 

i was on my way to a prayer group for the school, teachers, and our kids, but my husband stayed around the corner out of sight and said that he cried for about 40 minutes while his teacher tried to calm him down. i finally got a call from her that she had him sit with her at her desk for about an hour after he calmed down and then he just decided he was ok and had a great rest of the day. 

when we picked him up he had a great big smile and said his day was much better. we celebrated him making it through the first week of school by coming home to balloons, noisemakers, silly glasses, and streamers that my sweet husband at put out everywhere. we had a water balloon fight, family movie night, and a sleep over in our room. 

______________________________________

 little a started preschool on Tuesday for the first time. she had quite the opposite reaction then Big A. she was so anxious before her class started and when it was time to go she had her backpack on and said, "bye mom! i love and i'll miss you, have a great day!" before we were even in the car! 

she went straight in, with no tears.

jumping right in!

and when i picked her up she had a great big smile on her face and said she made a new friend. 

i'm sure there will be a year or two when she has a tough time. and i'm sure when they're all grown up we'll look back and share these stories with them. but right now i'm exhausted and clinging to the Lord. when the week started my verse was, "i do not ask you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. they are not of the world, even as i am not of the world. sanctify them in truth, Your word is truth. as you sent me into the world, i also have sent them into the world. for their sakes i sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth." John 17:15

and as my week ends my verse is, "do not fear, for i am with you; do not anxiously look about for i am your God. i will strengthen you, surely i will help you, surely i will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10. 

i am resting in these words from the Lord. he is my rock and i can't make it through without him. 

_______________________________________

another tradition we started last year was a first day of school party and this week we included our life group in on it. it was just our regular meeting time and i just made a little cake. nothing big, but still making note of the special day. 

i used a paleo carrot cake recipe from elana's pantry and i also used her creamy cream cheese frosting to top it with! it was so yummy!

so what about you guys? do you have any first day/week of school struggles or triumphs you want to share? what about traditions? i would love to hear your stories!

xoxo,

tara