School girls

Here in Virginia, the classic, yet not-congruent-with-Target, September equals back-to-school! Day one was yesterday and two little girls Lewis got dressed in uniform. Indeed - Naomi Jean is in Kindergarten! Now we knew when we moved here, count 'em, four years ago, that this is Olaiya would begin school. And that took some reconciling. I came home from the hospital to the school district I graduated from. And the odds are impossible that that will be the case for all of our children - one of them is technically Virginian! What?! Anyway, Naomi Jean too began her official schooling days yesterday, far, far from Iowa. And she was beautiful, brave and excited.


Keeping with the flower per grade school year tradition (I still can't believe I managed to start a tradition at the beginning of an era and now have it to continue!), Nomes is holding what I imagined her to behold as Belle's rose in Beauty and the Beast. 'Cept this one came from a dying bouquet at the Giant grocery store two blocks from my house on Tuesday night.

Olaiya June - big, bad second grader! She was so stoked about absolutely every part of her first day. Her teacher, her third grade chum*, the classroom procedure rules, her binder, her homework, everything.

Naomi's countenance, however, did not parallel to her sister's upon entering the van. Shoulders slumped, she sat down and when I asked about her first day of Kindergarten! she burst into tears because she didn't get a binder. Like her sister did and still possesses from when she in Kindergarten and Naomi has poured over, pretended was hers and anticipated all summer. Her teacher informed her that they weren't going to receive binders this year, but rather folders. And that was what happened right after Play Doh. It colored the entire rest of her day. I hope some joy was to be found in the three and a half hours between the initial disappointment and the sad car-ride confession. I think she shared some of her graham crackers with a big girl at lunch. She liked that. And by the time my mom 30 minutes post-school, her perspective had already changed and she reported a great first day.

I am so praying for her that her experiences are not defined by her sister's her whole life! Precious few, if any, experiences will be hers for the first time. Olaiya will almost always have been there, done that. And I am sure I speak to something parents every where have fumbled over and lamented. But for me, first-day-of-Kindergarten-lost was the most poignant yet. Though Mrs. S has a lovely vase with flowers drawing with the words "Dear Mrs. S, I had a great first day of Kindergarten! Love, Naomi" painstakingly written in purple, curly-cued-wanting-to-be-cursive letters, hanging in her classroom window.

We wanted a picture of Matilda with her sisters, but the ground was damp and she protests as though I am binding her feet when I attempt to put shoes on her little breadbox feet. So mommy had to be in the picture. Even though I wore not makeup. Olaiya told me, "It doesn't matter, Mom." Preach it, sister.

She looks so little! Love her sweet, fresh face.

Matilda did not eat the Play Doh.

Genius, genius first-day move, having a brand new can of doh for all the kinders at their seats. What? Oh, you're walking out, Mom? Okay, see ya.

Required backpack photo (despite no homemade flair this year). The baby was available. The girls were not.

Whoa! Lockers! I'm so second grade.

Papa and his girls, after the School Blessing. Makes for a long first day, coming back at 7p, but so, so worth it.