Shay's First Day

Shayla did the family traditional "first day of school pictures" for me like a pro! Sunday night we were all three sitting in her room, reading her books. Suddenly she said, "Did you get flowers for me to take to my teacher?" I thought she was a little old for that and also not knowing these teachers like her former school's teachers that I taught with for 20 years, I didn't know what they'd think of her bringing flowers, but she definitely wanted to take them. I suggested cookies she had just made with Aunt Marty and she said, "Mom, you were a teacher. Remember, they don't really eat things if they don't know if they came from a clean kitchen or not. My teacher doesn't really know us." I told her I had just purchased apples. "Mom, that's so traditional." Therefore, sweet Shayne headed off to buy some. Shayla was so happy to see them in the morning, thanked Shayne over and over and she said her teacher really liked them.
After we left her room Sunday night, I could only cry and hug Shayne and say into his chest, "This is the night Christi wrote the poem about the night before school starting." Of course he remembered too. Christi was so excited about starting 5th grade. How I only wish she could have finished it and that she'd now be in the 8th grade with her friends she adored so much.
Shayla completed her homework after school and told me over and over that her teacher is so nice.
After reading to her last night I said, "I'm so glad you had an ok day at your new school." She said, "an ok day? What do you mean? I had a great day!" Oh, thank you, dear Lord. I have worried and worried about this all summer.
Aunt Tina - she loves her backpack with her name on it - THANK YOU!
My first day with students was just fine too. I started off the day by dropping off a couple of boquets of roses to three of my former students who started BGSU as freshmen yesterday and then went to lunch with some of my new colleagues. Everyone has been very professional and absolutely wonderful. I am very, very blessed!