School

Sophie is officially a Kindergartener. It’s the beginning of week 3 and things seem to be going well. The first day, she came out grinning and when I asked her what her favorite part was she said, “Um… I think.. All of It!” Since then her fondness has occasionally waned, as it does for all of us when it comes to school.

But overall it’s good. The other day she was very excited because they “exploded” something at school and she thought it was the coolest thing she had ever seen. It’s so fun to see her enthusiasm and how seriously she takes all of it. She’s very aware of Clifford’s doghouse – a bulletin board on which all of the students have a dog house. If they get in trouble they get a pushpin in it. The first week she was somewhat shocked by how many other children were getting pushpins J and announced on Thursday that she would “never get a pushpin” in her doghouse. She can recite perfectly to me the directions that she is to follow to correctly line up in the hall – “be quiet, hands behind your back, look at the hair on the back of the person in front of you” – and is proud to tell us she frequently gets stickers for her appropriate behavior. Oh my.

We’re all adjusting. She seems to be fascinated that she goes to school 5 days and is off for 2. I didn’t know if she would be annoyed that she was going to school everyday, but so far it hasn’t been an issue. Actually, on day 2 she decided she liked “getting up and going to school everyday.” She must be thriving on the structure. Her Daddy is keeping his enthusiasm high every night asking about her day and doing homework with her. He’s so good at getting her excited about all of it. Clare is pretty happy to have me all to herself, though she misses Sophie and it’s clear when Soph comes home how much they want to play together. Clare also would like to be going to school. The last few days when we drop of Sophia, Clare tells me she wants to “go to Sunday School too.” J

It’s all very strange – to have a school age child. I’m so glad she loves it. I want her to love learning and I pray our family can nurture that. I don't expect a perfect student or smiles everyday when it’s time to get up. But I long for her to grow up to be someone who searches for knowledge and a calling until she finds something she loves. It can’t hurt to start praying now.