WOW

So tomorrow, officially, for the first time in over ten years, I will not have a child in the house during the day. Even with pre-school, someone always seemed to be home. Jeffrey was home last year for home-schooling. I guess we did have a short run when Andrew first started public school, but I spent the time driving to three schools and the B's got done at noon, but I digress.

Tomorrow. I drop them off. All of them. All day. It will be quiet. I have to work, but there will be no nanny in the house. No noise. No chaos. Will I miss it? Will I love it? Will I hate it? (doubt it). I'll let you know.

I went to back to school night for Andrew tonight. He is in the ELP class at Schwartzkopf. There are only 6 kids in his class - plus an aid - plus his speech therapist who comes and gets him for therapy - plus a reading coach (his teacher from last year who loves him). I think it will be a good year. He like his new room. After sitting in my lap for a bit, he wandered over and settled in with the other kids - playing cars and animals with them.

As we walked into school, it was like going to school with a rock star. All the kids know him. Some of the parents too. One dad told me, "you don't know me, but you have a great kid. He gives ME a hug when I drop my kids off at schoool and hug my kids." We chatted for a moment because, dare he admit, the hug from Andrew meant a lot to him. He was being loved for who he is - not for being dad - and that is different. It is a great gift of Andrew's - one he gives freely. He likes most people (but not all of them). He is willing to give of himself. We could all use a bigger dose of that.

Remind me to tell you about the twins going forward in church to be "bath-tized." Classic stuff.

Big milestones at the Voth house this week. First day of school pictures to come soon.