Back to School (for 5 days)

Up first- Emma!  Finally in middle school and ready to take on the world, Emma is delighted that her turn to take on Stilwell is finally here.   

It was barely dawn when the bus arrived on the first day of school, and it will be as dark as night before we know it. The middle school schedule is not for the feint of heart! Emma is delighted to be in choir, orchestra, and the fall musical, and she is cautiously filling her schedule with her favorite things while making sure she's ready to take on the rigors of middle school. She's off to a great start!

Next up, Leah!  A senior and also ready to take on the world, Leah's schedule is stuffed to the brim and her spare time is swallowed up with college applications, online seminary, colorguard and time with friends! There are a lot of "lasts" happening in Leah's life right now, like her last Friday in September in high school.  Every day is another day to celebrate and sob a little bit. 

Welcome to high school, Adam is a freshman!  He gets his very own school this year, and he is determined to spend every possible minute there.  Between band, jazz band, marching choir, show choir, Southwood Singers, jazz choir, the fall play, robotics, accelerated classes, online health and seminary, Adam is just about as busy as a freshman can get.  Not unlike his desire to compete the 100 historical fiction books in 6th grade, he has the will, and my job is to help him find the way.  He's not driving yet which means we get to spend a lot of time together in the car every day, and I love it!

And last but certainly not least, and in this case the luckiest because he gets to board the bus at a glorious 8:18 every morning, Noah the 5th grader!  Noah has great friends, great teachers, and is happy to be back in school.  "What's not to like about it?" he says and that right there tells me that he's going to have a great year.  He's continuing in orchestra and has added the DSM Youth Symphony to his week, as well as the trombone in band and before school choir and FLL- the First Lego League robotics league.  He's busy and happy!

And behind the scenes are Mom and Dad, working to keep everyone fed, clothed, well-rested, healthy and hopefully happy. We've got four kids in four schools this year- let the final exam begin!