Kangaroos and New School
Marking the end of the summer season for us started with promotion Sunday and church. I received these cards in the mail letting us know that it was time to be Kangaroos! The boys new class room is bigger and the objectives of learning become a little more challenging. I hear they will be working on the Lords Prayer this year. Their new teacher, Mr. Rob, is actually the husband of last years teacher, Mrs Christen. Of course when I took them to their new room all the teachers were hopping like kangaroos and the boys just hopped right one in.
I never blogged about it but I had so many issues at the first church MDO that the boys went to earlier this year. I meant too, but never got around too. We moved them mid-semester last Spring because of it to the gymnastics preschool by our house. The boys loved that school and their teacher Ms Rachel was precious. They had her all summer too and she wrote "Mr. and Mrs. Riley" the sweetest note at the end of the year. I struggled with the decision of where to send them this year. The gymnastics school was more fun than educational but I hated moving them. I talked with so many moms and did so much research and ended up moving them to a very well known Christian pre-school near us. I even had to get up early last February to go and enroll them! It filled up in several hours. I have to tell you that as soon as I got our paperwork this summer with the boys teachers in them, I started praying for them by name. I have just been so nervous I guess because of the bad experience at the other school. One of my main reasons besides the educational piece for wanting to move them to a Christian preschool was that I wanted them to learn about Jesus while I still had control over that. Most likely they will grow up and attend a public school (maybe) where that won't be in their daily curriculum. We had "meet the teacher" last week in their classroom. The boys chose to wear the Spiderman shirts (of course) and as soon as we walked in and met the teachers, Eli said "yook at my webs" and Beckett showed off his "pow pow pows"
The room is adorable and the boys took off running for the toys. They were super comfortable and the teachers were everything I prayed for. Loving, kind, warm, and totally open and friendly. Whew. The boys seemed made a new friend and mom did too! And of course, the teachers showed them where there new potty was too.
We couldn't leave without checking out the playground which the boys gave 2 thumbs up.
This day went a long way towards making me feel much more comfortable. When we were leaving Beckett said "Mom, I loves this school" and Eli said "I want to come back tomorrow". Yeah yeah yeah!
The first day of school was on Tuesday. The sweetest Ma ever sent the boys new backpacks and lunch boxes and I saved them as a first day of school surprise. I got them the Batman and Avengers new thermos and they haven't drank out of anything else in days! When they woke up, I had it all out on their chairs when they came to breakfast. The squeals! Eli said "Is it for me?" They put them on and ate breakfast in their backpacks. These are really nice because they have a buckle across the chest and they don't slide off. I am loving the new lunch boxes because they are so easy to clean and are the perfect size for packing lunch.
Eli was excited about his new shirt with the "gobbles" on it. Beckett loved the sharks. Mom loved that I got them for $3.99 at Gymboree. Love good deals! Dressed and ready to go. Of course we had to take "first day of school pictures!"
When we got there Eli remembered the way to the classroom. There were several people in front of us but did they wait? No. They snaked through and ran right in. I peeped in the window and saw them each put their backpacks in their cubby holes.
No goodbyes. No waves. No hugs. But Hallelujah no tears. Except mom when I got back in the car and drove away. Another year. Another milestone. Bittersweet independence growing stronger every day. When I picked them up, they of course had a great day. We went to the library afterwards and we were looking at books, playing, and talking. Eli was playing with an animal puzzle and I heard him talking to himself. He was saying "God made the ducks. God made the ducks go quack" So I asked him if he learned that at school. And he said he did. Then Beckett spoke up and said "God made the sheep. God made the sheep go baa baa". And in that moment, my heart felt such peace that we made the right decision. To hear those precious words. Beckett has been a chatterbox today (2nd day of school) and told me so much about it. When I picked him up he ran to me at the door and said "mommy, I missed you today". And all afternoon he has said. "Let's count." or "let's count to 10" and then he counts. He told me they do that at school. Also he said "mommy, I sang my letters today with Ms Keifer." I asked him tonight when we were rocking if he liked his school and he said "mommy, I have fun at this school today"
There are some really fun things coming up at their school that I know they are going to love. Next week is pajama day because they are learning about God creating night and day. A special pancake breakfast is planned. There is a book fair, a pumpkin patch, and they even have a garden that that each class helps with. I can't wait to see them grow and learn so much this year. Praising God for answered prayers!
I never blogged about it but I had so many issues at the first church MDO that the boys went to earlier this year. I meant too, but never got around too. We moved them mid-semester last Spring because of it to the gymnastics preschool by our house. The boys loved that school and their teacher Ms Rachel was precious. They had her all summer too and she wrote "Mr. and Mrs. Riley" the sweetest note at the end of the year. I struggled with the decision of where to send them this year. The gymnastics school was more fun than educational but I hated moving them. I talked with so many moms and did so much research and ended up moving them to a very well known Christian pre-school near us. I even had to get up early last February to go and enroll them! It filled up in several hours. I have to tell you that as soon as I got our paperwork this summer with the boys teachers in them, I started praying for them by name. I have just been so nervous I guess because of the bad experience at the other school. One of my main reasons besides the educational piece for wanting to move them to a Christian preschool was that I wanted them to learn about Jesus while I still had control over that. Most likely they will grow up and attend a public school (maybe) where that won't be in their daily curriculum. We had "meet the teacher" last week in their classroom. The boys chose to wear the Spiderman shirts (of course) and as soon as we walked in and met the teachers, Eli said "yook at my webs" and Beckett showed off his "pow pow pows"
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| Which way? |
The room is adorable and the boys took off running for the toys. They were super comfortable and the teachers were everything I prayed for. Loving, kind, warm, and totally open and friendly. Whew. The boys seemed made a new friend and mom did too! And of course, the teachers showed them where there new potty was too.
We couldn't leave without checking out the playground which the boys gave 2 thumbs up.
This day went a long way towards making me feel much more comfortable. When we were leaving Beckett said "Mom, I loves this school" and Eli said "I want to come back tomorrow". Yeah yeah yeah!
The first day of school was on Tuesday. The sweetest Ma ever sent the boys new backpacks and lunch boxes and I saved them as a first day of school surprise. I got them the Batman and Avengers new thermos and they haven't drank out of anything else in days! When they woke up, I had it all out on their chairs when they came to breakfast. The squeals! Eli said "Is it for me?" They put them on and ate breakfast in their backpacks. These are really nice because they have a buckle across the chest and they don't slide off. I am loving the new lunch boxes because they are so easy to clean and are the perfect size for packing lunch.
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| Lunch boxes ready to go |
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| Taking his brother his lunch box |
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| Right before they ran in |
There are some really fun things coming up at their school that I know they are going to love. Next week is pajama day because they are learning about God creating night and day. A special pancake breakfast is planned. There is a book fair, a pumpkin patch, and they even have a garden that that each class helps with. I can't wait to see them grow and learn so much this year. Praising God for answered prayers!