Back to School

Back to school. It seems like it comes earlier every year. It seems like it is still summer, and my beautiful daughters have been ushered off into another year of learning. Rebecca started school on Tuesday. She is a second grader this year. It seems like she is more grown up every time I look at her! Recently she told me that she thought she would be as tall as me by the end of second grade. Well, I don't think it will be that soon! But it will probably feel like only a year from now when my baby is looking down on me.

Rebecca wanted to ride her bike to school this year. I think it is great that she is enjoying her bike and wants to ride to school like the big kids. But I still walk with her. It is because Miriam is too little to go with just big sister. Yeah, right. Rebecca is still so young to me as well!

This year Rebecca's teacher is Mrs. Walker. She has promised Rebecca lots of homework. But she also promised Rebecca she would be learning multiplication and division, cursive handwriting and an extensive vocabulary. Rebecca is a wonderful student and so excited to learn. She will do fabulously this year.

Miriam started school today, Wednesday. I look at her and can hardly believe that she is going off to school. I remember holding this tiny baby in my arms, and look at her now! Miriam was excited and nervous to start school. Since she didn't attend preschool, this is Miriam's first school experience. Miriam has been pretty nervous about starting school, and especially with being away from Mom. Friday Miriam had her assessment with her teacher and got to see her classroom. As I expected, once she saw the room and met her teacher, she was fine with the whole experience. Miriam is such a social butterfly, I'm sure she will have no trouble at all making friends and interacting with the teachers.

Miriam is quite the "think-outside-the-box" type of person. I know she will take off and do a super job in kindergarten. She is a happy, smart, energetic little girl. I will miss her at home!

It has been five years since I have only had one child home with me during the day. Now I have two school girls, so Joseph and I will get some quality time together. But he misses them, too. A couple times today he started calling for his sisters. At one point, he said, "Miriam, I love you!"

The Lord gives us these precious children to care for and protect. I am so pleased with them. They are working so hard and are wonderful girls. But as I leave them in the care of strangers, I find my heart and mind constantly turning to them. I know they need to experience this separation from me, to learn to be independent, self-sufficient individuals. But my instinct is to gather them close to me so I can protect them from everything that might hurt them in this world. I can't do that, so I find that throughout the day, I am constantly praying for them. He can protect them better than me, anyway!