Three Things First Day of School

- STEM - 

Luke qualified to be in the advanced STEM science class and he is SO EXCITED about it!  It's right up his alley and this means he gets to go on the Big Bend trip this year!  

- CROSS COUNTRY -

Luke hasn't done a Fall sport before and he's running cross country this fall and loving it!  Their first meet is next Friday and I have no clue what to expect but I'm so looking forward to watching him run this season!

- GROWTH SPURT -

I knew that Luke had gained a few inches this summer but it really didn't hit me HOW much he'd grown until I snapped his first day picture.  MY WORD has he grown and changed so much this past year and the change between when he started middle school and now is UNREAL!

- LOCKER BUDDIES -

This is Mason's first year to have a locker and if that wasn't exciting enough he's RIGHT BY HIS BEST FRIENDS!  You would have thought that he won the lottery ;) 

- FREEEEEEEDOM -

It's been so cute to hear Mason talk about some of the freedoms that they get in Middle compared to elementary school.  "So... we just walk wherever we want?", "So we can just hangout with whoever?", etc.  

- NEW UNIFORM -

One of the most exciting parts of middle school for Mason is moving out of the lower school red polos with navy shorts and into the Navy/khaki combo.  He'll wear this until he graduates and he is feeling so cool right about now ;)

- BEST HANDWRITING -

Griffin and one of her girlfriends were facetiming the other day and talking about the school year and goals that they had for the year and G mentioned that she wanted to "use her best handwriting all of the time instead of some of the time" which I thought was seriously the most precious thing I've ever heard!

- MICROWAVE -

One of the highlights of G's first week is learning that she gets to use the microwave now during lunch!  Apparently her lunch options are now "endless" and she's planning a hot lunch daily from now on ;)

- TEACHER LOVE -

Griffin will rotate through three teachers this year and her homeroom teacher is the same one that both Luke and Mason had.  She is LOVING all her teachers... especially the one who has a class hedgehog!

- TOO MANY WORDS - 

I forgot how many words are involved in teaching middle school students for almost 8 hours a day.  MAMA IS TIRED (and way overstimulated) by the time I get home - hahaha. I'll adjust in no time but MAN this week has been a lot of words ;)

- LAZY MORNINGS -

Who has had the hardest time adjusting to early mornings?  Rosie ;) She sleeps with Luke most nights and doesn't even get out of the bed when he gets up and out.  She will begrudgingly make her way downstairs before the kids leave but is not happy about it.

- 17 YEARS -

Y'all.  I'm kicking off my SEVENTEENTH year in the classroom.  It's absolutely blowing my mind.  I may have some more poignant thoughts at some point but for now all I've got is a whole lot of thankfulness for incredible co-workers, amazing students and just the opportunity to have a front row seat to my kids growing up while doing what I love.  

HAPPY Thursday, friends!!