August 27, 2010

He really is excited. Honest!

First Day of Kindergarten

First Day of FIRST grade

Our stoical kindergartener

Our stoical FIRST grader

"C'mom mom. We're gonna be laaaaate", he grumbled.

"Not until you smile for me", I replied.

Had to document that toothless grin.


About to enter a whole new world.

We are pensive.


At home he is my big shot. Here...he shrinks into a little pile.

Though he appears indifferent, he REALLY is excited to be in first grade.

Honest.

And if I am being honest, I had a very rough first week.

John is teaching & coaching, thus getting home late.

And Finn and Calvin have soccer, thus we barely hang out as a family anymore.

Each day seems more exhausting than the next.

Ollie and Twain are not sleeping well.

As I type, I hear them having yet another late-night party in their room.

Thus, they are cranky during the day especially when it is time to cook dinner or get out the door. Or do anything.

And the whining, oh the whining.

I am just beat.

But...

there is always an upside.

Calvin has been simply amazing while Finn is at school.

He takes both Ollie and Twain under his wing, and mentors them...just like big brother Finn mentors him.

It has been the sweetest blessing in the world to see these 3 get along so well.

A little dream come true. Thank you Lord.

Speaking of dreams...we recently potty-trained Ollie and he is doing better than I ever dared hope or imagine. Double Thank you Lord!

And our carpool is awesome.{Thank you Sara!!!!}

So there you have it. Things are tough, but God has sprinkled in huge blessings along the way.

We will adjust.

11 comments:

  1. I can't even begin to imagine what your days are like. It's tough when daddy isn't home to offer relief. The funny thing is, that years from now you will look back at these times with fond memories. Fortunately, like child birth we tend to forget the really horrible parts. Hang in there and thanks for taking time to share.

    ReplyDelete
  2. hi:)
    I thought it was time to introduce myself :)...i'm a childhood friend of talia's and so i discovered your pure talent in motherhood and photography and decorating(as well as having the most adorable boys ever) through her blog........
    get ready..... about a YEAR ago.
    so
    yes. i'll admit it, i've been sort of reading about your family for a year.
    how stalkerish?!?!? oh sorry!!!!
    however.
    i am choosing to comment now, finally, because i loved this post.

    i am an elementary school counselor and so these past couple weeks, i have been running around trying to work with our kindergartners and first graders on the transition back to school from their summers. it can be rough for some....for others its great! But what i've noticed this year more than ever, is how tough it can be for their mommies :)

    a whole new schedule to enforce, and with little ones at home, change can take so long to finally become the norm.....
    so i'll say a prayer for you :)
    glad you know His grace is sufficient :)

    and i'll try not to be so freakishly stalkerish, and i'll actually comment on your posts when i read them in the future :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I LOVE the blessings, the victories, the reasons to rejoice amongst the grumbles. and you know, when I was in the whinny kid phase (hmm, henry's first year :) I packed him up and took him to my bf's house so that the whinning would be drowned out by all the other drumming chaos. I think it's time I return the favor. So every day pack up your kids and head this way for a wild lego, stacking block, coloring wild fest, minus the drums. I'll even feed you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Obviously we're not to the school phase, but since Jon is a youth minister and volunteer football coach in our tiny town, the start of school has really rocked our schedule more than I'd thought it would!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, Davi, he's so handsome! Glad he's so excited about first grade. Those first few weeks back to school are such a brutal adjustment period {for teachers, kids and everyone in between}, but once you get in the groove, it will all zoom by. I always give myself a pep talk by listing the exciting things for the next few months...cooler weather, pumpkin patch, church camping trip, FALL leaves, fall candles, Thanksgiving, CHRISTMAS, a TWO week vacation with your hubby home!!!, and then...well, I always lie to myself and try to believe we're on the count down to the end of the year. YIPPIE! Hope that gave you a little boost...it always helps me!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Suzanne--My sister told me to maintain a good sense of humor during these times because I will miss it when they get bigger.

    To i'm lindsey: Hi! Thanks so much for popping by! Any friend of Talia is a friend of mine! Besides, you have a great name--same as my little sis:) And thanks so much for your super kind words, though I hardly deserve it! That is so sweet of you to encourage me along --It really helped to hear that I am not the only one having a hard adjustment. I kind of just assumed I was pathetic. Which I am:)

    And Barbie...I kind of forget that it's an adjustment for you teachers too, even though you think I'd remember, John being a teacher and all. So, thanks for the reminder.

    ReplyDelete
  7. oh my goodness..precious!! i love that he is so serious..hehe!!

    hope things jeep getting better!

    ReplyDelete
  8. wow. how cute are your boys! I used to be a nanny before I became a mom and seeing the little boy i cared for graduate kindergarten was one of the saddest days ever. I cried like a baby along with all of the other moms.

    Hurray for Ollie! <3

    ReplyDelete
  9. I loved seeing the pictures of the boys first day of school. Those are precious photos. Thanks for taking time to share them.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I thought of you all last week and wondered how you were adjusting to your first week back to school. I prayed for you, too. :) I'm sorry to hear it was a rough week! But I love your attitude of finding the joy and blessing in the midst of the craziness and weariness. And hopefully it will only get better and better from here on out. Hang in there, sweet mama. :)

    Finn is SO adorable and cute, such a handsome little man, that I canst hardly stand it. First grade! why are our children growing up so FAST??

    ReplyDelete
  11. First grade seems oh so big! School is an adjustment for everyone. I'm glad Finn enjoys school, even if you can't tell by his facial expressions. :)

    ReplyDelete