Tuesday, September 4, 2012

First Day of High School

Today is my daughter's first day of high school.

First Day of 9th Grade

She left this morning at 6:35 am to catch the bus.

She's never ridden the bus before.  She walked to elementary and junior high school.  She was excited to ride the bus this morning.  I wonder how long that will last?


Unbelievably she was up and ready to go at 5:55 am, the excitement of the first day overcoming tiredness.  I wonder how long that will last?


Her backpack was enormous - stuffed with 7 one-inch binders.  One for each class.  They are all clean and new.  I wonder how long that will last?


She decided to eat school lunch today.  In the last 8 years of school, she has eaten school lunch about 12 times.  But she ate it today.  I wonder how long that will last?


She let me take a "First Day of School" picture like I have since kindergarten.  Although she protested, she did let me take the shot.  I wonder how long that will last?


6:35 am: Walking to the bus.

As I watched her walk away, down the sidewalk, in the coming dawn, I felt sad.  I sat on the front porch and waited to see her bus go by.  It never drove past our house.  Her bus must go another way.  I sat there for 15 minutes, rocking in the big, wooden rocking chair.  I have one child.  And she left this morning for high school.  She's growing up.  She's ready for the next step.  I'm so proud of her.

And yet, I still feel like crying.

I wonder how long that will last?






4 comments:

  1. Oh, you tied it all together so beautifully! I had planned to get the walking away from me shot too, and then abruptly forgot all about it once he walked out the door, perhaps as I was getting a tissue instead... Perhaps I will take it tomorrow and pretend it was the first day.

    Charlie too ate lunch at school, even though he took his lunch nearly every day of middle school. I think it's just a matter of seeing what 'everyone else' does. He has already informed me he is making his lunch from now on, clearly his taste buds have won out over peer pressure!

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    1. I think it's cute that he's announced he's making his lunch from now on! Good for him! Juliana's still eating school lunch. I think there are more options in high school. That's fine with me.

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  2. Tomorrow is the first day of school for the 'upperclassmen' and my two (far too grown up) kids are part of that elite group that get one extra day of summer vacation.

    I'm treasuring it.

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    1. At the beginning of summer I think it will be long. But, then at the end I always want more! Well wishes for your upperclassmen (and you)!

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