First Day of School!!!

Abell 8th Grade!

I take a pic from the back every year.

The elementary group! (Abell had already left for school.)

Hagen 6th Grade!

Addison 3rd Grade!

Breeley Kindergarten!

(In her "Old Lady" pose.)

Breeley Kindergarten!

Well, this is a big year for our family.

All the children are in school part of the day every day.

I begged Breeley and Addison to stay home.

I promised them lots of fun things and exciting adventures if they would stay home with me all day. They both said no. (Rude!)

All the kids were excited for school to start.

(Different levels of excitement of course.)

Abell is back in Junior High.

He is in the 8th grade boys choir and also the 9th grade choir. He has already tried out and received a part in the school play Annie!

Hagen and Addison are attending a new school this year. We had a pretty rough year last year for Addison. Rough as in his teacher didn't try and really teach him anything. He started the year so far ahead of the rest of the class, that she just kinda put him aside and let him do his own thing. He took his encyclopedia's every day to read. I was pretty disappointed with her all year. So when an opportunity came for him to have something better, I really felt like I needed to get him in there.

Hagen has received a letter for the spectrum program every year. I never felt like it was the right place for him. So I never sent him to be tested. But after the year with Addison's teacher, and then both boys received a letter, I thought we would investigate it. They both took the test and were accepted. I had planned to wait and see what teachers they were assigned to at their current school to help me make the final decision. But once we accepted the spectrum positions, they pulled them out of their current school. So the decision was made. I let Hagen decide what he wanted to do. I was proud of him for deciding to go. He knew it would be harder. He knew he would have homework. He knew he wouldn't know anyone. But he still chose to try it. I am proud of him for that.

So far it has been great. I think I had the hardest time leaving Hagen on the first day of school. The spectrum class he is in has been together since 3rd grade. He was the only new boy in the class (one new girl too). But luckily for him there are two boys he knows from his soccer and basketball teams. So he already had friends. That was a great surprise!

Addison seems to really be enjoying learning. It seems like he is really getting something out of it. Like he is having to put forth a little effort.

So far, I feel like we made the right decision.

Breeley is attending kindergarten in our neighborhood school. That way, she can be with her friends. So, out of four kids, we have three schools to try and keep track of. Not to mention giving up our carpools that I loved so dearly. I have gone from driving once a week, to driving every day, there and back. But it feels good to be going the extra mile for them.