First Grade

It could have been a rough start, really. He'd spent the last month being overly emotional about everything from the flavor of his toothpaste, to too much chlorine in the pool at camp. The constant high emotions were starting to get the best of me.

We asked him a couple times if he was excited about first grade starting soon,
"No, I'm scared my teacher will be serious and mean."
That summed it up. And nothing we could say would ease his mind. He's stubburn that way.


I have NO IDEA where he gets it.

Even his eating habits leading up to that fateful day had begun to deteriorate. He was quickly becoming the pickiest eater on the planet. Kindergarten had gone extremely well. We all loved his teacher and she had told me she was placing his with the perfect teacher for him. She totally "got" his personality and embraced it. I trust her and I believe last year really set a positive tone for success in elementary school for Harrison.

His first day of school was August 30; which happened to be the same day the GID was going in for an outpatient surgery. What timing.
We walked Harrison to school that morning and I didn't even bring a camera for that "first day" shot. (I think I was feeling as overwhelmed as Harrison.)

Yeah for camera phones in the 21st Century! ...we have one picture to treasure from that morning.

One quick shot as he made his way to his classroom. The first day of First grade.

The two of us left and went directly to the hospital for mapping and Pre-Op. The day flew by and before I knew it, it was time to leave to pick Harrison up from school (the same time the GID would be going into the actual surgery).

I arrived at the school gate and only waited for a moment before Harrison came running and jumping into my arms with joy gushing from his being.


"I LOVE First Grade! It's awesome! I love my new teacher! She is so NICE! She's even nicer than my Kindergarten teacher!"

And there it was.

I dug my face into his little neck to hide the stream of tears as my body heaved with an emotion I couldn't control.  I was so happy. So relieved. A weight lifted off my shoulders. Soon after, I made my way back to the hospital to pick up my husband, all was well with him, too.


Two days later, Harrison rushed around before school in an excited frenzy, "Today is my FIRST day of exercises!!" 

Every morning the first through fifth graders have morning exercises before they start the daily classroom routines. Harrison was ecstatic to finally be a part of it.

 Peeking around his teacher, he throws me one last wave goodbye.

I think it's going to be a good school year.