first week of school - some major stuff!

 after school snack the first day - popcorn and watermelon ("no sugar" :-))

 every one is doing ok. but some of us are having a harder time adjusting than others. if i had to rank us, this is how we'd go, with #1 being the person that's having the hardest time:

1. mom
2. joshua
3. bailey
4. levi
5. lincoln
6. rebekah
7. pat
8. sawyer

i'm an absolute mess. overwhelmed. my heart is thinking about ALL they are dealing with ALL the time, plus being extra tired with getting up earlier than in the summer (only by 30 min - but still!)

joshua is so on edge. he's really having a hard time. he likes his teacher and friends. he's just having a hard time.

bailey is also having a hard time. she LOVES her teacher and friends. but she has yet to say something GOOD when we are walking home. she just keeps saying, "i just need to get used to it." sweet girl...

levi is whiney. this is the calmest his life has EVER been - with just sawyer and i. i expected that.

lincoln is loving it all. he's just tired, but does great after his little power nap!

rebekah is happy, happy. i feel like she gets older every day.

pat is having to deal with all of us ;-)

sawyer and i are having a love affair this week. AND kicking discipline and making his brain WORK into high gear. my mornings are super sweet with him and levi.

 i found lincoln all by himself playing with the dollhouse one afternoon when every else was outside. that said a lot. he never does that. i was glad he was able to do that on his own!

this week has been HUGE for this little boy, and he's handled it all so well, but he would. he's a survivor. it's been a GOOD week for us. next to the week we first met him, i've probably hugged and held him the most this week since we've known each other. i love how he RUNS into my arms after school when he sees me. he is the kid i think of the most often during the day...wondering how he's doing. i admit to enjoying the mornings with just sawyer and levi. i think i've taken the deepest breaths that i have in 2 years....it's just peaceful and i don't take it for granted!

 it is pretty crazy dropping him off in front of this school (that we don't know! it's not "our" school that he goes to in the mornings for ESL) and watching him walk right in...

had rebekah's back to school night last night. now i KNOW why she's so happy! her teachers and school are so wonderful! this is her locker :-) she's been gathering stuff since early in the summer and could not WAIT to set up her locker! the target bag hanging in the back is her trash bag. seriously? she is too much!

pat takes joshua and bailey to school (on his way to work) while i drive lincoln.
rebekah has chosen to stay home with sawyer and levi so far (they can also ride with me, and then she gets on the bus once we get home)

but she told me this morning that she loves that time with them. it's quiet and calm and they love her, a sweet way to start her day!

 i don't know?!? he'd be a beautiful girl, wouldn't he?!? :-)

 she's growing up before my eyes. and i love watching it! (no, it wasn't jersey day. she is just that cool!)

 i admit to stalking her this morning. our neighbor walks up to the bus stop with her - he's so nice!

 and then sawyer, levi and i got in the car and stalked her bus stop. i wanted to see it! (i can't see the bus stop from my window.) she saw us. and walked over and said, "what are you doing?" and i totally blamed it on the little guys, "i think sawyer and levi wanted to see your bus!" :-) (she reads this...so now i'm busted!) she was fine with it.

 there are a LOT of kids at her bus stop!

then we went to the gym and grocery shopped. and held our hands out the window and blasted the music and laughed together.

this first week of school is kicking my butt...but we're making it. one step at a time...