School!

Aug. 21 the four kids went to school! Reese gets on the bus just before 7 a.m., and I just missed him that day so I don't have a picture of him. He set off to the high school for the first time, as a 10th grader.  Cameron set off for 8th grade, and the girls headed off to 5th and 1st grade. RD was still off work that week, so he made the girls some death star/tie fighter/heart pancakes, to celebrate the first day of school.

How'd he grow up so fast?!

It was great to have some quiet. I maybe came down the stairs and did a fist pump. But with just Renée and me, it gets a little too quiet sometimes. It's hard to talk/sing for hours to her. I actually get less done with the kids gone, since Renée always wants me near or holding her, and the kids often keep her company. But it's not too hard holding and snuggling her ;) She's getting very wiggly and rolling all over though. I'm hoping I can finally settle into a routine with Renée.
   During the first week back at school I was asking Reese how the high school was, and he told me how there are different buildings, lots of access from outside, and walking the paths/halls he thinks about where he'd go if something happened. It was a slap in the face of how my kids live in a different school world than I did. I had never heard of a school shooting till I was out of high school; last year Reese participated in the school walkout April 20th to show support for school shooting victims. Aubree and Grace have an 'emergency kit' at school in case of a lockdown. I'm so glad I get to help create a safe home for them, but even more grateful I can tell them in the end, it will all be fine, no matter what, if we follow God.