Oh, Kindergarten...

Life post flood has been pretty chaotic... Moving from our home to our parents' home back to our home, church programs postponed, schools closed "until further notice"... all made it impossible to obtain any regular routine or sense of control.  If anything, this flood has made us ALL realize that we really have no control in any situation.  Properties bought in NO FLOOD zones, houses built on hills off the ground, well made and thought through plans for the last half of 2016 and the new school year... it was ALL an illusion...  It hit hard for everyone!  No one soul remained untouched or unaffected by the events that unfolded in our community mid August.  Not even our sweet babies.  I personally threw away soggy notebooks and new school supplies, watched my little niece process the fact that she was now homeless, witnessed my friends' sweet kiddos recognize their belongings in the debris piles on the roadside, even consoled my own daughter as she sobbed while we burned all her flooded books and tossed moldy Cabbage Patch Dolls. 

Y'all, it was hard and it will be hard for a while.


But last week the clouds parted, and we got a little bit of our normal back when our community schools resumed classes.  We had only been to school ONE WHOLE day when the rains started, so it was literally the first day of school, take two.

Unfortunately BOTH Jude and Aubrey Lane's schools received significant flood damage.  So when school resumed last week they were at new temporary locations.  But, hey- we'll take it. 


Jude is pretty easy going and went back to a school he used to attend so re-entry was a breeze.  It was Aubrey Lane I was a little bit worried about.  Not only was she going to a new school, but she's in kindergarten.  She had only been to school ONE DAY so she didn't really have time to make any friends or get a feel for school itself.  And she wasn't very interested in going back.  But I tell you what, kindergarten has been FUN!


First, I just ADORE her teacher and the staff at the entire school.  When we pull into carpool in the morning, they are there and ready for their babies.  If there are tears, and there have been, the carpool teacher will call Aubrey Lane's teacher to the car, and she is so tender and encouraging to her.  They all are like that with their students.  If a bow has been forgotten, and it has been, the teachers are so quick to help us find it like it was their own daughter or granddaughter's bow they are looking for.  It really does feel like a big family.

Aubrey is learning so much! And I can see that she is being pushed at just the right pace.  Her teacher has been teaching for FORTY-TWO YEARS so she knows children so well.  They have so many extras to make sure the students are getting the most of this season in life- there are so many fun events and days like Spirit Day where kiddos get to wear spirit shirts and bitty cheerleader uniforms.  It really feels picture perfect.  My only one regret is that we didn't start there earlier!

Over the weekend, Saturday to be exact, we celebrated the return of another normal routine- dance class!  We went to Open House where there was face painting, photo props, and of course AL's sweet teachers.  Other dance companies had sent tons of dance shoes, dance wear, and even costumes to help out the flood victims.  It was awesome to see.

On the way to the Open House, I don't know what came over me, but after realizing that Aubrey Lane was now in kindergarten and did not know how to tie her shoes, I decided to give her first lesson.  I figured this was something that would take 15 minute sessions everyday for the next week or two before she got it.  I guess she wanted to prove me wrong, because after only 10 minutes she got it!  And now I have a shoe tier...

The second week of kindergarten came around along with a double ear infection for Aubrey Lane.  But no worries, she got to bring Corduroy to the doctor with her.  Every kindergartner gets to bring Corduroy home with them to spend the night when they are good, and apparently it's a BIG deal!  She was so proud packing him out of the classroom, and she brought him home and had a tea party so he could meet all her other "friends".  Oh, kindergarten, you are so fun.  Well at least for now.  We will have to give another update in a month or two.

Stay tuned for Jude's second grade take two post.