Tuesday, August 24, 2010

TIme Travel Tuesdays~

"Today is a wonderful day, for I am going away.
Not to the circus, not to the pool.
Can't you guess, I 'm going to school!"

That is the first verse of a little song I used to teach my first graders every year on the first day of school. I love 5 & 6 year olds! They are so excited about life and so happy to be in school and learn. As a teacher it was always a fun day to greet them with their eager faces shining.

As a mother, the first day of school is a bit different. There was always some anxiety over sending them off into the big bad world, no longer under my direct care. But my children have all looked forward to their very first day of school, that very first time! As mothers we have to learn to let go. It is easier with some children than with others, for sure, even as they get older.

I took my only son & youngest child to finalize registration for high school today. He is one who has not had such great experiences at school the last few years. His anxiety is high and his OCD is acting up. I ache for him. I long to make it better. The only way it can be better is for him to work his way through it. I cannot live his life for him. Is this how our dear Father in Heaven feels about us? He watches us stumble our way through life, longing to help us. He knows he cannot do it all for us because we would never learn anything that way. But if he could make it easier, oh how He would!

Keep a good thought in your head on Wednesday for Richard. He is such a dear boy and I love him! I love all of you too!


I took a little trip back in time to those first days of school so long ago. I will share them with you!

Sarah, 1st day of Kindergarten, Orem, Utah 1985

 
Sarah & Brittany, 1st day of school 1990, Orem, Utah
Later that day after school...was it a good sign??

Diana, 1st day of kindergarten 1992, University Place, Washington

Rachel, first day of Kindergarten 1996, University Place, Washington.
Later that day...happy girl on her first school bus ride home!



Richard, 1st day of Kindergarten 2000



Marianne Ellsworth
1st day of 1st grade
Mesa, Arizona, 1963.
My outfit?  Brown and white gingham dress made by my mother, sun bleached braids and a white stretchy head band, white anklet socks, Keds sneakers, and...
Ta-da! My very own Barbie lunch box!!
(That is a mulberry tree behind me and farther back is the orchard, my playground!)
Happy first day everyone!!

7 comments:

niki said...

this was great! i love the rainbow picture and that last photo of you is quite adorable.

URFAVE 5+A Few said...

I loved all the pictures and all the memories!

I will for sure be praying for Richard. My heart aches for him and his struggles. As a mother it just breaks my heart to think of him hurting and for you hurting for him.

Take Care! We love you all!

JoLynn

URFAVE 5+A Few said...

I loved all the pictures and all the memories!

I will for sure be praying for Richard. My heart aches for him and his struggles. As a mother it just breaks my heart to think of him hurting and for you hurting for him.

Take Care! We love you all!

JoLynn

Sarah said...

I'm not sure why but this post made me get all teary-eyed - I guess I just miss my family! I love you!

Sarah said...

Oh, I wanted to answer the question you left on my blog . . . the answer is explained a bit in my first Palio post, but basically the race is held in celebration of Mary since she is the patron saint of Siena. The August 16th Palio corresponds with the August 15th feast of the Assumption, celebrating Mary's assumption in heaven. The race itself is not the Palio, the actual Palio is a banner painted and decorated to honor Mary. The contrada who wins the race wins the Palio and puts it on display in their contrada museum. Hope that clears things up a bit!

Lori said...

Great post and pics. I especially love the last picture. You lucky little girl to have a Barbie lunch box. I was stuck with a Bollwinkle one. Oh well - it would be worth a lot of money today, right? Ha!

Diana said...

Um, Brittany totally looks like you, a lot when she was little!