Wow! I can't believe summer is already over! As the kids get older, the summers go by quicker and quicker and really reminds me of how fast time is passing! This was probably the toughest year for me to send my kids off. Avery is now in 6th grade which means in our town that she is now in Middle School. We have two middle schools in our town and we had asked that she be transferred to the other middle school. Everything was working out until 2 weeks before school was to start and we got a call saying they were too full to accept her request. At first it was really hard to take, but we are really happy that she is over at Madison and feel like this is the best place for her to be. The office staff at Madison felt bad for her too and knowing all the Johns (Randy and his siblings went to Madison) they put her in office aid which she was super excited about. Also, this meant that she could catch the bus which was a big help for me!
Austin is now in fourth grade at Ranch Heights Elementary and has Mrs. Key for a teacher. His confidence has grown a lot and I think he is going to take on the role of being responsible for his younger sisters with great ease. I had wished Avery could have been there one more year to help Ashton get the school under her grasp, but I think Austin can do that for her and that makes me feel very good.
Addison is in first grade now... wow- did that fly by! We are excited because she has Mrs. Douthit who Randy and Avery both had as their teacher. She is a great teacher and we are looking forward to seeing Addie grow a lot this year! Mrs. Douthit keeps telling me she is going to retire and I tell her she has to wait until Ashton has her before she can! Hopefully she can wait a couple more years!
Yes, believe it or not, but my youngest is now in school! Ashton starts Pre-K this year which in an all-day program in our Elementary School. So she rides the bus to and from school with the other two. Austin and Addie have both been super great at taking care of her and she loves school! I was so nervous because she hated Mothers Day Out, and she refused to go to the childcare program at the YMCA so I could ever work out. But now the only times she has complained was when she has to miss school! It has been hard to send any of my kids to school, but I think when it is your last you really have a hard time. I took them to school on their first day and the walk back to my car after dropping them off was the longest and most lonely walk of my life. There were no little feet walking next to me and no hand to hold... just me. I love my kids so much and I'm so glad they are growing and becoming independent- but I definitely try to treasure each of our moments we have together as I see too quickly each of them growing up.
