A Happy Day!

The morning started out with tears (I will keep the innocent nameless, but let's just say that she has long blonde hair :)), and ended all smiles!

Bryan and I drove them to school and Bryan went with Micah to the middle school while I headed with the other three to the elementary school. Bryan said he was back out in all of 5 minutes. Once Micah found the door to his homeroom, Bryan said it went something like this, "Okay, I got it Dad. See you later!". :) Micah already loves his teacher, Mr. Bakker, and had fun recounting story after story of things he said in the class that made everybody laugh! He told me on the way home that his teacher was a really wise guy when it came to the things about God (blessed my little pumping heart!) and my heart rejoiced to here him pray, at the dinner table, for his classmates.
It took about 5 times longer to get the other 3 set to go! We dropped off Faith first, put her things in her desk and locker and made sure she was all ready. She was so excited and without a moment's hesitation! When I picked her up today she told me it was just like pre-school and she loved it! I was a wee bit confused ( I thought maybe the work was too easy or something)...and then I realized what she meant. At our church in CA there was a preschool and Faith just LOVED going!:) (So, thankfully, I will not have to come up with extra work for her to do once she gets home :) tee-hee).
Samuel, who had cried when we told him he was going to school (back in July) because he didn't want to go, had clearly changed his mind in the last two months. He was almost just as excited as Faith! After school I asked the kids, "On a scale of 1-10, 1 being: I wish I never had to go to school at all and 10 being: I wish I could live at the school...how would they rate their first day. Samuel didn't hesitate to shout out a "10".:) I wonder if he will feel the same way once homework kicks in?!

Grace was the last one to be dropped off...and I left her with my heart feeling as teary as her eyes looked. She was so brave...but so nervous. Her teacher was just precious...I couldn't have picked one any better for Grace...so kind, so sensitive, so caring (those are Grace's words to describe her, too!). And the view from her room...I think that made me want to cry just as much as anything. The mountains were beautiful...and above the windows was the verse from Psalm 121:1, "I lift up my eyes to the hills (mountains). From where does my help come from?"

I had just encouraged her the day before that, as she road to school each morning and saw Mt. Baker, it could be a reminder of God. That He is steadfast, immovable, grand, big, beautiful, creator, sustainer...that, just as the mountain would be there each day...so God was with her each day! So, to walk in her classroom and see the view and that verse...my heart burst with thanksgiving to the Lord!My two little men and I ran a couple of errands and then headed across the border to pick up the rest of their home school material. We did about an hour today...but we'll get into the full swing of things tomorrow now that I have all I need! It was special being with the two of them...so special that we had to add a Starbucks to the day (come on, who can pass up a $1 hot chocolate in a really cute cup?!).

The school day came to a close with a phone call from the principle. (I had a moment of panic when I saw the number) I quickly asked if the kids were okay to which she replied, "Oh, they are doing just great, but I am not sure how happy you are going to be." :) Due to some miscommunication, my clan missed their bus ride home!:)

All in all, so much to be thankful for! And the fun part is, we get to do it all over again tomorrow!:)