Twas the night before Christmas...

 

Twas the night before Christmas...

One of my biggest worries whenever we move is how the kids will adjust to their new schools.  I feel bad for them when they say good-bye at the old school, I feel excited with them when they see their new house, and I feel the fear they feel on the first day at the new school.  

Both kids were scared this time around, even though they won't admit it.  Justin told me, "Mom, the worst thing about the first day is that you don't even have someone to ask where things are."  Annalise would say in her prayers at night, "...and I know I'll always be OK as long as I keep my friends in my heart to guide me..."  

My heart was especially sad for Annalise this time around because she left a community that she had grown up with.  Her kindergarten friends stuck with her through the years and she was leaving some girls that she really loves.  On her first day of school, I worried and waited for her to come home and tell me how it went.  I'm pleased to say that she did great!  She made a friend and she said she loved her teachers. As long as we're admitting things here, the truth is that I miss Salt Creek and my friends so I understand what they're feeling because I was nervous to start over too.

I got my first chance to come to school this week and see Annalise's class.  Justin asked me to give him some space now that he's in 5th Grade, which I happily respected, and I did not go to his Holiday Party.  Annalise, on the other hand, is still young enough to want to show me her school life.  

As you can see, Annalise has adjusted as we would expect - just fine!  She's brought her love of reading with her to Valrico and she's in love with school just the way she always has been.  She was sick this week so we all hoped that she would be able to do her Narrator part.  Her voice came back just in time and she did great!  Her classroom here is a team setting where they have two classrooms and two teachers to take advantage of.  It's amazing!  The room they are in is set up as their reading area and it stays this way all year long.  Their desks are in the other room where they do their desk work and they move between the rooms all day long.  Her teachers work together and make all of the kids work just a little harder because, as both of my kids have mentioned, they can't get away with anything since there's always a teacher walking around.

We're still wearing Salt Creek shirts to school but I think we all feel comfortable now as Valrico Explorers!