Seventeen months after last getting off a school bus, our kids climbed back on one again. The last time they were in public school, Katherine was in fifth grade and Nathaniel in third. Now ages 12 and 10, respectively, she’s taking the bus to middle school to start seventh grade, and he’s taking the elementary-school bus to start fifth grade.
Sydney installed a desktop in our kitchen, and yesterday Katherine emailed back and forth with various friends from school, comparing schedules and getting updates from those who have joined her in the world of braces. Since her school doesn’t dismiss until 4, she got up early this morning to practice piano; she knew she wouldn’t have much energy left after the bus drops her off at home in the afternoon.
Nathaniel, meanwhile, reported that the chickens loved being let out so early (6:05, he proudly announced to me), and he enjoyed a cup of tea with the oatmeal he cooked for himself. Although he’s been the baby of the household for this past year at home, he now gets to learn how to be responsible as one of the biggest people in his school. I tried to refrain from calling after him, “Don’t squash the first graders!”
Erin
Alan Schmierer