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After 9 months, my maternity leave has finally come to an end.  Today was my first day back to work, and Will’s first day at school.  It’s one of those things that really snuck up on me.  I’ve known it was coming.  I’ve been praying about it for months.  We’ve been visiting his school regularly.  I’ve been leaving Will with the neighbor to practice.  But my anxiety was through the roof about leaving Will at school for 6 hours for several days a week.  Let me just say, that God has heard my heart on this.  God was with Will today, just as He has been with Will every day of his life – even those lonely hours in his crib in China.  God was with Will then, and He will never forsake His precious child.  I am so thankful that Will had peace today and even enjoyed himself and played with his new friend Raimie with a joyful heart.  Even with all of my own fears and worst-case scenarios playing out in my head, I’m mad at myself now for not remembering Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.”  

Just for those grandparents who are hungry for more details — Will did cry when I dropped him off.  Actually, he cried hard.  I had to really be firm in my goodbye and then walk away.  The teachers later text messaged my director at the conference we were attending to let me know that Will had settled down within about 20 minutes, and all was well.  They called after about 2 hours because Will was signing pretty persistently & trying to vocalize something they could not understand.  My director pulled me out of my session & let me talk to them.  I was able to translate that he was asking for his stuffed cat, “Mao”.  Mao was waiting safely in Will’s nap mat, so they pulled him out & a crisis was averted. 

When I went to pick Will up from school, I spread my arms & called out “Hi Will!” like we had practiced.  He looked a little disappointed and signed “more school”!  Then he signed “friend” and tried to say “Raimie” the best he could.  Awwwww.  (I hope her mommy doesn’t mind me using her name in posts.)

Ready to go to school!  Man, my backpack is HEAVY!!!

Will’s favorite thing about school — the water fountain!

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Can you believe the kids are back to school today?  We had a bit of a rocky start — it’s hard to get back into the routine, after all that time off.  And Jack was up all night coughing, so he was short a few hours of sleep.  But everyone got a decent breakfast, and was excited to get to know their teachers & classmates.  Margaret even let me do her hair in French braids, since it’s a Tae Kwon Do day, as well.  Will was a little disappointed he didn’t have school today, too, and insisted on bringing his Elmo backpack into school to drop off Jack & Margaret. 

After we dropped the big kids off, Will and I headed to a follow-up appointment with the ENT.  All clear — Will’s ears look good.  His hearing is slightly improved now that the fluid is gone.  The ENT says that although Will’s hearing will never be “perfect”, he is getting more than enough to have normal speech development from this point out.

Here are a couple of pictures from Meet The Teacher night last Friday.  Jack’s teacher is just too perfectly cute, soft spoken, and gentle.  Margaret’s teacher isn’t in the picture, but just look at that classroom – Wow!  It’s awesome!  Margaret’s teacher seems to have the same creative spirit as my Mar.  We pray all summer for the perfect teacher for each child’s personality & learning style, and it looks like God has delivered exactly that!  And it’s a funny coincidence that Margaret’s teacher’s daughter is in Jack’s 3rd grade class.  Does that make sense? 

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It’s the last week of summer break, and finally it has cooled off enough for us to spend a little time outside.  We all welcomed the rain Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week, and have especially enjoyed the cooler temperatures. Tuesday after lunch, Margaret asked if she could just stick her hand out the patio door to see how hard it was raining . . . and just look at how that turned out!

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You know, just when a boy decides he is too stinkin’ cool to be cute — just when he attends football practice in the pouring rain and comes home covered in mud from his helmet to his cleats — just when he thinks he is too old to take his favorite, beloved stuffed animal to church camp — that’s when his mom realizes that this boy is even more precious than the day he was born.  I simply cannot tell you how much Jack has grown up this summer.   And even though he is tough and sweaty, and way too cool for his mom, he is still an awesome kid who is mostly good to his little brother and sister and will almost always help out around the house (when there is money in it for him:). 

So with all the cuteness & lighthearted images of Margaret and Will, I don’t want my big guy to think he is lost in the shuffle.  He carries a piece of my heart with him everywhere he goes.  And even though he is strongly opposed to the concept of hugging his mom in front of his teammates, he should know that this old mom is waiting on the sidelines for when he needs that hug. 

See my mean face??? No hugs Mom, I mean it!

Jack is right in the center — the one in black pants.  Number 85, if you can read his jersey.

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Margaret recently had a play date with a girlfriend from school.  Upon delivering a snack to the girls, I found this note on her door.

It says, “Plase dont desterv im bisee.  Thank you” (Please don’t disturb, I’m busy.  Thank you)

Now it just says, “Jack, buzzoff” 

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