transition shock

today was a big day in our home. oldest child to middle school. youngest to kindergarten.
dog is confused and will not leave my side while the boys are gone. i was overwhelmed by how quiet our home was this morning and early afternoon. it was bad enough that i even...exercised. by choice.


oldest is at the point where he does not want to be let off too close to school, for fear that someone might realize that his mom drove him there. oh wait--EVERYONE'S mom drives them there. and i was a bit concerned about pick-up, but was delightfully surprised by how he wanted to share every (and i do mean every detail) about the first day in this foreign place. (and secretly, i was thrilled that he wants to talk about it all...i hope we have debriefing sessions like this every day. maybe just focusing on the major highlights and not the exact folders and notebooks he needed to grab between each class and why.)


youngest had his stubborn moments of not wanting to smile for a picture. or wear the shirt that we picked out at the store together. or wear his backpack. (he only wanted to carry it over his head.) but the BEST was him running to me out of the building to give me the best kindergarten hug ever. and when i asked him about his first day, he replied: "it was... ... AWESOME." all the parents around me got a giggle out of his reaction.


so, all in all, it really was a good day. it seems strange to call this 'normal'...both boys gone all day long. and me exercising. i think they are transitioning just fine...it is this mama that is in a state of shock. i think it will get easier day by day...