Today was the first day of school in Norwich ... funny it seems like it was not that long ago that it was the last day of First Grade!
We had some teary moments the last few days in Romanskiville from our would be 2nd grader. "I'm just soooo nervous" I tried ignoring it, I tried acknowledging it, I tried "are you kidding me -- you run that place .. you are going into SECOND grade" .. all without much success.
We have a routine on the first day in our house ... we both, Paul and I, go to Jeanne's and we load up the driveway with all the little kids for pictures and good-byes.
Here is this year's class
Here's our full time Preschooler and our Second Grader
After a few tears while we were loading into cars to head to Jeanne's house we arrived and Brooke settled right in. Wondering about this and guessing about that ... then Jeanne heard the bus coming and they were off down the driveway.
Both Jeanne and Brooke seemed relieved when the door opened and it was our dear Ms. Sharon driving the bus. "Welcome Back, Brooke!" as she got near the door and then, in the blink of an eye she was gone ...
At least this year, at the very last moment, Brooke turned to look out the window at the 3 adults wildly waving good-bye and waved back.
My Aunt posted this picture to Facebook earlier today and when I saw it, it took my breath away. This is my Uncle Steve and my cousin, Stephen, or Ducky as some of us refer to him. These guys are pretty special to us here in Romanskiville - they have given up hours of their time and gallons of their sweat to get us to where we are in Rev 2. Earlier this week they headed off to Fenway Park for a game. My uncle is just a young guy, in his early sixties, and has never been to Fenway Park to see his Sox play. The trip was a Father's Day gift to him from Ducky and his wife.
I am firm believer in giving "moments" or "memories" as gifts and not just loading people up with a pile of things. We've taken the girls to Disney on Ice, the Circus, live theater - none of which ends up being very cheap, but they remember those times even when they were pretty small.
It isn't cheap to go to a ballgame either ... you have to get to Boston, buy your tickets for the game and then there's the hot dogs and drinks. They had to take time off of work, but if that picture doesn't scream "it was worth every penny" I'm not sure what would.
It has not always been easy for these two, they both have struggled with their share of health issues. A picture is worth a thousand words and no where here are echos of the words cancer, seizures, medication, diabetes, surgery, chemo, radiation, insulin, uncertainty, sadness or despair.
When I look at this picture my eyes get a little misty and to steal a phrase from my Mom "it makes my heart sing". I have no idea who took this picture and I am betting it was probably just from a cell phone camera. All that said, it has become one of my favorite pictures EVER.
I'm thrilled that these guys got to make this memory together and that someone captured it in digital format for the rest of us to see.
