first day. . .

Jack's first day of first grade. . .

He left minutes ago on the bus. So very excited to ride the bus again. . . both ways this year. He could barely contain it. . .waiting impatiently for the bus to arrive.

Dressed in his new Wall-E shirt (everyone is going to love my shirt. . .he told me as he dressed this morning). With his Speed Racer backpack and lunch box. Which I way overpacked with goodies. How do you know how much to pack? Mama that I am, worried that he would be starving at lunch time. . . I stuffed it to capacity with his ham sandwich, cheese stick, grapes, a tomato from his garden, pizza goldfish, and a dinosaur Eat n Park cookie. Way too much, I know. . . but all of his favorite goodies to make him feel a little closer to home.

Little bits of tears. My baby. . . growing and moving forward.

Waking him up in his bed this morning. . . I remember when we put him to bed in it the first time. His big boy bed. . . and he was so excited. He awoke, all smiles about today. So happy to be back to school.

Me, fearing he will think the day too long. . . Worried about him so far from our protective care. . . And Lukey at home to scuff around on his own, for the first time. . .

It's so quiet. . .

But, Jack is so ready to discover the world. So full of questions about how everything works. . . how the world operates. . . why things are the way they are. . . Questions, all day long. . . His mind is ready. . . .craving. . . .this new mental stimulation. . .

Ready to unfurl his wings, and fly. . .