Sep 2, 2010

back to school

I haven't been so present on this here blogspot lately and you can take that to mean that I have been fully present in my real life. All my babies started school Monday last and it was a BIG change for us. For the past two years they have been at a wonderful, small, Christian school that felt as much like home as a school can feel. We loved it and considered our friends there almost as family. Still do.

Last Monday they all started anew in the public schools. Della in kinder, Lewis in third, and my baby, Max, in middle school. I felt like I was throwing them to the wolves. Matt and I were on pins and needles. And I'm not sure why. The public schools here are good. On a national scale I think you could say that they are great. But Mama Bear does not give one whit about a national scale. Are my babies happy? Are they making friends? Is there a bully out there lurking? Are their teachers inspired?

I found myself standing in three new classrooms with my children. I stood behind them with my hands on their sweet shoulders and probably said some thing like this to their teachers:

"Hi, I'm Ivey Patton and this is Lewis. Where should we put his backpack?"

Inside I was weepy, but hopeful, and I was thinking something like this:

I am Ivey Patton and this is my Heart and Soul, Lewis. He is funny and smart and very shy and he was king of the mountain at his old school and doesn't know a soul here and I am aching for him and praying that you make this transition a good one for him....

or

This is my darling girl. She is a spitfire. Don't get mad at her when she digs in and stands her ground. She's not much for following the crowd and that's what I love most about her. Listen to every word she says and laugh with her. Kindergarten should be fun, not stressful, please have fun with my baby.

or, and this was the the doozy,

Hello Miller Middle School.  I am giving you my TRUE baby. Mr. Garland, Mrs. Teeter, and Mrs. Wynn, do you have children? Do you have a firstborn? So you know, I am hoping, what this means. Middle school is a cliche. It's where we begin letting go. Where bullies build their reputation and peer pressure tries to crack MY firm foundation. I am saying NO to that and I am sending you a solid, sweet, freckle faced redhead, who has nothing but high hopes for himself and for you. Deliver. Please and thankyou.

Jesus Christ.

Yes. I talked to him, too. And that was a great comfort.

On the first day I picked them up and was desperate to hear the verdict.

Well......they loved it. All of them. But still I waited for the other shoe to drop. The week went by too slowly for me and by Friday I was exhausted. Matt too. But the verdict held. They love it.

Lew comes home with facts and questions and has his eye on a little girl named Ellie. ( and I think this is dear....she has freckles and red hair! You would think he gets enough of that at home, but I guess not) Della has stayed on 'sunshine' all week despite all the new rules. She jokes that she got cloudy or rainy, but then says, 'no mom, i'm just teasin'. And Max. Wow. This morning he toted his violin, his kit bag for PE, and his six page essay that took him all afternoon yesterday to write and revise; he eagerly toted it all down the driveway and caught the early bus to take him to this new place that was so scary just a few short days ago.

 Life is good.

 

2 comments:

Jamie Jo said...

I love reading your blog! You write SO well!!!

mimi said...

Ivy, it's Julie, Lisa Kopecky's friend who named our daughter after you. Your last entry has got me sobbing, even as write. Seems so many can't wait for school to start to get rid of the kids etc but not me. You put words to my thoughts that I have not really been able to express the last 2 years. Ivy starts 2nd grade tomorrow in a public school and I still want to keep her in our little pre-school coop. It's fun checking in on you and your cute little family. I am still waiting for my tralier to come into my life.
Love,
Julie