Marina's First Day of School

For the first time, this morning Marina was the first one awake. She has been reved up and ready to go to school for several days now. Finally, the starting gun was shot. Last night, as the High Schoolers were doing their pre-algebra and the 3rd grader was working on his reading log, she assured them that in one more day she too would be joining them around the dining room table doing homework. She selected this lovely velvet dress with diamonds and pearls for her first day.

Marina informed us last night that we would not need to pick her up from school. She would be riding the bus. "And if you come there anyway I will race to the bus and get on before you can catch me so...no sense in coming." Vince gave her one of our long range walkie-talkies. They agreed that she would call him on it as she was getting onto the school bus. She was all over that! We'll see if it works.

Because the week before she had been following us to McNeil to drop off the boys, this day held no mystery for her. Her lunch was packed. Her back pack was secure. She marched right into the school and knew exactly where to place her belongings. She was surprised that the kids were then led into the gym where they played some movement games. She was thinking that they would immediately get into their 'hard subjects.'

As a parent, I thought it was brilliant. De was able to do her meet and greet. The parents were able to dawdle around visiting and sharing their mutual angst. There was plenty of opportunity for the paparazzi to do their thing. It was a fine start.

This is Marina's teacher De Patch. She is the ultimate kindergarten teacher who knows just what to say to a fretting parent: "Oh My Gosh! I'm in Love with her Already!"

I won't pretend that I am not a bit sad. The sadness was worse last week (fortunately). Vince and I left the school feeling sentimental. I said, "None of these kids was more ready for school than her." He said, "I think she is going to be very upset when she comes home tonight with no homework!" We both laughed and now I am starting to imagine what my first day of quiet will be like.