What a Difference a Day Makes!

We all have memories of the first day at a new school. For some of us it was an exciting time-we were moving up, getting older, all grown up. For others it was a scary time-what would the teachers be like, where's the bathroom, is the food in the lunch room better or worse? I moved around a lot so going to a new school was not usually a big deal to me. Except for one time-when we moved from Arkansas to California. I was starting the 8th grade and I felt like a misfit. It was pretty traumatic for me-not knowing anyone at the school. I went to that school for two weeks and never made one friend. I sat by myself at lunch every day and went home and cried every night. Our kind pastor took pity on me and helped us facilitate a transfer to a different school where most of the kids from our church attended. Life was good again.



August, 2009 brought about the switch for Katie from the LG Upper Elementary to the LG Middle School. Life was about to change. And, she wasn't sure she wanted it to do that. The morning of the first day was not a pleasant one for us. She didn't feel good, she couldn't stop crying, she didn't feel good and she didn't feel good. I told her it was nerves and everything would be fine and took the required "first day of school" photo:





We got to school. I left her there. She was close to tears and so was I. But, she has wonderful teachers and good friends, so I knew she was in good hands.

When I picked her up she was beside herself. In a good way. School was fantastic! Life was wonderful! She loved it! It was the best! All of the things I had tried to convince her of that morning were now known realities. She was happy again. Yeah!

We don't usually do a "second day of school" photo. But, I think you will agree that this year it was absolutely necessary:




Transition is always hard but is most often worth it.