Tomorrow is my baby boy’s first day of school in a new school in this new city in this new state. And I’m freaked out.
He’s 13 and he seems pretty unconcerned about school supplies and the dress code and about finding his way from class to class. And I’m worried.
And why in the world are they starting on August 15? It’s still summertime in my head. It will be summertime in my head until Labor Day.
My baby boy won’t stop growing too fast and it makes me feel like I’m running after a bus which hasn’t noticed that I’m trying to get its attention. (Did you ever miss a bus because you were just thirty seconds too late?)
I bought school supplies–random ones, because I had no supply list and also because I discovered I had twenty-four boxes of crayons when I was packing up and moving here–and managed to not buy any pencils (Ticonderogas only, please) because I thought I had boxes of them. Which I probably do, but where? Where are you, Pencils? And why weren’t they on sale at Costco, as usual?
I did find two stray pencils which I tucked into his notebook.
The rest of the kids–75% of my kids–are not going to school tomorrow. They are all going to be doing school at home–the twins have one last year of homeschool and Grace is enrolled at a charter school which allows her to do school at home four days a week. (They’ll all start in a week.)
So, it’s not like I”ll be lonely. Or free.
But I’m full of anxiety about my baby boy’s first day of eighth grade in this strange land of palm trees and ocean breezes.
And now I’m going to make his lunch because I am most certainly not about to pay $5.25 per school lunch.
Actual Unretouched Photo 
Oh I hope it goes well! I have THREE boys that start next week! Also, I have been meaning to email you, maybe you’ve already heard, but I mentioned your blog in the Digital Moms Handbook that just came out, I had been interviewed for it and you always have remained one of my blogging mentors!
Steph
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i bet he has a great day…making new friends, being the newbie in class, all the girls will be crazy over him…mmmm maybe not a good thing about the girls haha
hope things are going well for you .. making new friends?
happy thought and prayers coming your way this morning!
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$5.25 for lunch?! That’s expensive! Of course ours may be the same but I haven’t learned the price yet. I’m sure we’ll be packing lunches most days this year.
We start on Wednesday which also seems very early to me. Our old school started after Labor Day so all our friends back home still have 3 weeks left of summer. However, I think the early start time is a good thing this year because it will get my kids into school where they can start meeting people and making friends. Hospitality at church yesterday wasn’t much fun since we didn’t know anyone. We just ate our donuts and left… And, in case you area wondering (as if it’s not obvious by that statement), I am no good at meeting people! Maybe I need to go back to school too so I can make friends…
Good luck with the school year and finding the pencils. I was able to find the manila folders my kids needed in the first desk box I opened – certainly an unexpected surprise!
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Feeling your mama pain! And it IS still summer!
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8th grade? How can this be?
My oldest grandson starts kindergarten after Labor Day. Makes me all weepy just thinking about it.
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We started school last week, crazy California schools. 🙂 The elementary schools around here provide the supplies, and then just ask for donations of things like tissues. I like shopping for school supplies darn it! lol
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Mel
I missed you so I looked at your blog. I can’t picture your baby boy in 8th grade. 😦
My baby boy is in 1st….I am homeschooling though so I feel at peace about him aging!!
Much love
Jenn
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