Looking Back

The first part of the morning has come and gone and I'm taking time to sit and reflect on the morning.  Since today is only a "half day," the second part of the morning is still to come.  The first day of school comes with such anticipation.  New school supplies, new teachers, new clothes, new experiences.  But the old fears, memories, familiar stomach aches, are still present for many students, not to mention their moms and dads.  I've heard it described as the "smell" in the halls.  The "smell" of school.  To some it's exciting and fun, to others scary and boring.  It doesn't matter how healthy your breakfast was, how much sleep you got the night before or how many smiling teachers are there to welcome you at the door.  The jitters still remain. 

There are certain traditions that families have on the first day of school.  It's my rule that I drive you to school, walk in to meet your teacher and take a picture.  Well, this year I only got to drive one and would have been left by myself to wander the halls if I had tried to walk in to meet teachers.  I love the way my 8th grader tried to soften the blow of this.....Me: "Do you want me to walk in with you and meet your homeroom teacher?"  Him: "NO!!!"   Well, then.

As I drove my 8th grader to school, we had the greatest conversation.  After talking about the basics like how he needed to focus and begin strong,  we then got down to the nitty gritty.  It's very important to pack your backpack the night before and put your shoes by the door so you're not scrambling to get out the door.  We also talked about other things that 8th grade boys should remember but moms can't mention on blogsites or they get in trouble.  I mentioned to him that there would be some students who came to school with nervous stomachs and butterflies just because that's what school does to some.  We talked about how a smie and "how's your first day going?" might help.  So,  there he went.  Waved goodbye and into 8th grade.  Never looked back.  I, on the other hand, couldn't help but look back.  I looked back to all of the "first days of school" in my life.  How my mom ALWAYS had us ready for the first day of school.  We had hit up the JP Brown Drugstore for our supplies and we had gone to Castner Knott for new clothes.  We lived right by our school so we always walked to school.  She didn't have to get in the never ending traffic but she always "watched" until we made it to the corner.  As I was leaving the parking lot, sitting in traffic, I looked back to the years I had spent at the elementary school and middle school.  I looked back to taking all three boys in, to three different hallways, and lingering on the last one because, well I knew it was the last.  I saw in my my mind all of the incredible teachers who would patiently smile as I took the dreaded pictures of the kids at their desks.   I looked back in my mind and saw my friend who never failed to have her children ready and organized for the first day of school, and who would not be here this year.  I thought of the mom dropping her 8th grader off for school this morning, but missing her high school son who would not start school today.   Snapshots.....some you wouldn't trade for anything and others that hurt to look at.   So to the special teachers who have worked SO hard to make this day special, "THANK YOU!"   To the moms and dads who have shopped, fretted and filled out countless forms, "BLESS YOUR HEART."   And most of all to our families who are doing this in a new and far from normal way this year........."We love you and you are always in our hearts."