First Day of School

I always loved the first day of school!  The smell of big fat crayons, the steam hovering over the lunch room ladies, and meeting the new teacher. I loved the smell and feel of new textbooks filled with things I didn't know yet. And the library--what a wonderful place, even if the librarian, Miss Virginia, was a grumpy chain-smoker with a cane who'd rap your fingers if you touched anything on her desk--or so I've heard! 

In elementary school, we wore dresses and saddle oxfords, never pants.  The week before school all the way through to college Carlene sewed a closet-full of skirts and dresses and I sat beside her watching fabric roll under the presser foot. Then we shopped for new shoes, one pair for school and one for Sundays.  

Elena said she was "devastated" that one of her best friends isn't in her fifth grade class--though she didn't look devastated when she announced this.  (I'm not sure she knows what devastated feels like.)

So today my four grands started school--Jackson a junior at VCU, Marcus the editor in chief of the high school paper and lacrosse player, Nathan a sophomore who plays percussion instruments in the band and drives with a learner's permit, and Elena a chicken-loving horse-riding fifth grader.  Day and Marcus are at the same high school within walking distance of their house.

It's a tradition to take a photo the first day of school and the last.  Here they are, my precious babies in various stages of growing up:

The night before the first day of fifth grade

This will be the last first day at Helotes Elementary School.
We have first and last days of every year there for Will and Day, too. 

After school, this picture along with this text from Elena:
"First day went well! 
We're listening to eggs chirp before they hatch.
Ten chicks and counting."