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back to school


without so much as a warning, the alarm rang very early yesterday morning.  "summer's over!" it screamed.  "i don't care if it is still the third week of august," it answered me when i complained to it, continuing, in its awful blaring howl, "time to get back to routine and schedule and homework and soccer practice and running around like a family of chickens with your heads cut off!" 

or something like that. 

anyway, that's what it felt like.  so i rolled out of bed, woke up my two older boys, who seemed equally unwilling to let go of summer's final moments.  however, once we were up and dressed, and the morning was bright and warm, the day, and the season it ushered in, felt more inviting.  they even smiled for the pictures.



we had already been getting ready, of course.  making sure we had all the requisite supplies and clothes and shoes.  we finished our summer bucket list with a lego project of making a school classroom, as you can see below.  you should know that most of this came out of Shannon's mind, with a little help from jack and cade (i had nothing to do with this one).  they should be so lucky to have harry potter, c3po, will turner, and legolas in their classroom!




yesterday was also shannon's birthday, and she took the return to school as a birthday gift to her, as you can see from her joyful leap below.  actually, she was surprised by a visit from her sister and family, and she had a great birthday. 


now the boys are in third grade and first grade, respectively.  and the journey of learning in a classroom begins again.  it will be, as usual, a journey full of hard work and discipline; doing exercises when you don't feel like it, and working when you'd rather be playing, but it will, as a result, also be a journey with great rewards.  it will be a journey of discovery, of metaphorical light bulbs being clicked on, and of making connections and asking questions and enjoying this great big mysterious wonderful world.  i love school, and am excited for my children to continue their own quest for knowledge, yes, but also for wisdom.  it is an amazing adventure. 

related:
first day of school 2012
first day of school 2011
first day of school 2010
letting your kid "go" to school
first day of school 2009
first day of school 2008
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