School Days

The happiness of the last two days has been tinged with melancholy. Molly started 1st grade yesterday, and Emma started kindergarten today.

I can't believe this time has already come. I feel like a mom saying goodbye to her college age child who is pulling out of the driveway with their life packed in their trunk. Have I taught them all they need to know now that they are moving out into the world?

We had a lovely, albeit small, feast celebrating the start of the school year on the evening before school started. The girls thought it was spectacular, because they got to use the "glass" plates that were the same size as Mommy's and Daddy's. It just happened to be a Monday, so we had a Back-To-School themed Family Home Evening, where we read the verses in the Doctrine and Covenants about whatever intelligence we "attain unto in this life" we will be able to take with us into the next. Then, Dan gave each of the girls a Father's Blessing through the power of the priesthood. What a blessing that is in our lives. I am so grateful that I have a husband who is worthy to hold the priesthood and to use it to bless his family.


As I went to meet Emma's bus at school to see that she got to her class okay and so I could meet her teacher and arrange her "going home plans," I was thrilled to see how excited she was. The aide that met them at the bus said that if they had a Mommy or Daddy there, they could go with them; otherwise they needed to stay with her. I told Emma this and asked her to come with me ahead of the group. Reluctantly, she followed. Then, she looked up at me and said, "I want to walk with them." I smiled at her and let her go. That, more than anything, made me feel how profoundly different life would be now.

My kiddos are growing up. I can't stop it. Nor do I want to. All I can do is make the most of every moment and make absolutely sure that they know, beyond anything, that I love them.