‘Tis the season for school books and backpacks and sharpened, number-two pencils! I’ve always loved this time of year. The air gets cooler, the leaves begin changing colors, and school buses are bumping up and down the streets. Just last week, my mom told me I cried at the end of each school year because I wouldn’t be going to school for the entire summer. Perhaps that’s why I got my teaching degree! Now that we’re fully transitioned back to life in Minnesota, it seems right that we’d all be starting school again.
Yes, by all I do mean all. Pete and I were the first to hit the books when we began our first class with Dallas Theological Seminary a few weeks ago. We’ve talked about doing seminary together for years, and this finally seemed the right time. We applied shortly after we learned we’d be coming back to Duluth and were soon accepted into the Master of Biblical and Theological Studies program. We’re taking just one class this semester as we get used to everything again, and we’re already loving what we’re learning. The program will take anywhere from two to six years to complete, depending how many credits we take each semester. We’re really looking forward to all of it!
A few days after we started, it was Ella’s turn to head back to school. Being without her friends from Tenwek has been hard, so we were happy to get her to a place where she can be with other girls her age and make some new, close friends. Here’s a little of what I shared on Instagram on her first day: After lots of prayer and conversation with people we trust, we made the choice to allow Ella to do third grade a second time. I hadn’t intended on having her start kindergarten when she did, only because she was very young, but due to the nature of the school she was attending at the time, we continued to move her through with her peers. We think she will benefit from having a little more time to develop emotionally while being one of the oldest in her class instead of the youngest. As she will tell you, “I got to do Kenya 3rd grade and go to really cool places, and now I get to do US 3rd grade.” It makes me pretty excited to see all the ways she’ll grow in the year ahead!
Sam had his first day of kindergarten two days after Ella started. Just look at that grin in his first day photo! He was beyond excited. Last year I couldn’t get a decent picture of him with the sign. He wanted to put it on his head, under his arms, lick it. Anything but hold it and look at me. But this year he took it like a pro and stood for the picture. The bus even pulled up at this very moment, and he still held still!
Ella was so proud of her little guy on his first day.
Ella and Sam aren’t going to the same school this year, just because the services Sam needs are at the school in the zone right next to us. Ella stays in our zone. Honestly, I think it might be better that she gets her own school. She always feel very responsible for Sam. This way, she can do her own thing and trust that Sam is just fine at his school down the road. We’re super fortunate that Sam has amazing teachers this year. They both have lots of years of experience and come with raving reviews. He spends about half the day right now in the mainstream kindergarten classroom for social activities and the other half in the special education classroom for academic activities. We’ll evaluate how he’s doing in a couple months and make changes, if necessary. I’m so very thankful for such an incredible team for him this year!
After we sent the kids off to school, both being gone all day for the first time ever, Pete and I wiped our tears and sniffled and sat around the house until the buses brought our dear children home. … Oh, no, that’s not right. We hopped in the car for a Duluth date day! Cheers to both kids being in school after two years of homeschool!
For real, though, we’ve all had a great start to the school year. I know we’ll all grow tremendously in the year ahead. We’ve all got our pencils and we’re ready to get to work!
