"I'm A First Grader!"

These are the words Hannah has excitedly told our neighbors and everyone who called to ask her about her day today - the first day of First Grade! It came with great anticipation. The last week has been full of accumulating school supplies and needed clothing as well as many conversations. Once she realized she would be at school all day there was a barrage of questions about lunch and how that worked. She was very concerned about knowing exactly what to expect! And the two things she has consistently voiced when asked what she has been looking forward to about being in 1st grade are: 1) having 2 recesses and 2) getting to check 2 library books out each week. :)

With Monday afternoon came the excitement of seeing which teacher she had and who would be in her class. I will say, going up to the school and looking at the postings brought back a flood of memories of doing the same thing YEARS ago and all that the start of a new year entailed. For a moment I wondered how I had arrived here with my own school-age child doing the same thing? Anyway, she was happy to see that several of her kindergarten friends would be in class with her. The sadness about those who were not in her class dissipated when I assured her that she'd see them at recess.

Yesterday, she seemed a bit apprehensive as we walked back to the classroom to meet her teacher. She became her usual shy self, as she does in new situations and with new people. But by the time we left, she was asking if she could stay and go ahead and start school!

This morning might have just as well been Christmas. She was up early, got herself dressed in the outfit she had picked out yesterday, brushed her teeth & hair AND made her bed - all before breakfast! And with no prompting from me! Usually we have devotions & prayer at the breakfast table and she prayed such a sweet prayer, asking God to help her have a wonderful day at school, to help her make the right choices and to help her obey her teacher. What a big girl she has suddenly become in my eyes!

Here are a few pictures of our morning.

























































She was excited to get to sit by one of her friends from kindergarten.































I had a lump in my throat all morning, but somehow I managed not to cry! She seems so grown-up, and I marvel at how quickly these 6 years have flown. I guess I need to get used to that! I am so thankful for this little girl and look forward to seeing all the ways she will grow in the year ahead.