A New Life

I hardly recognize the life we have lived the last two weeks...it is so different from the past 7 years.

For the girls, it is three different schools and three different schedules. The biggest challenge so far: the sheer size. All of them have said, "There are so many people!" Jenna had us rolling at the dinner table as she described trying to navigate in the halls between classes where you "turn to the right and your backpack knocks into someone else's backpack which hits someone else's backpack. Your best move is to put your friend in front of you and just push them through the crowds."

Kellie likes her ballroom and yearbook classes, LOVES the cafeteria (but not the long lines), and is not too fond of her science teacher. She also almost missed the bus today, prompting her to decide to get up 30 minutes earlier than usual.

Alissa has been quickly making friends and has decided to play the cello. Today after school, she came walking out with a friend and as they parted, they gave each other a quick hug. Ahhh....I think she's doing well.

Katie has become the queen of the tetherball, along with Sonny, the king of tetherball. According to Katie, "We beat everybody!"

And me? I get up at 6:45 and spend the next hour and a half helping girls get ready for school and driving them down the hill. Then I go running. Then it's some housework and errands--my house hasn't been this consistently clean since we moved in. Today I helped Josh pack up his stuff to go to college. (sniffle) Starting at 1:30, I pick up girls from school and transport them home and to various activities and then it's dinner and homework. It is so different.

David and I have been encouraging the girls to make new friends. Alissa and Katie have had an easier time with it than the older girls. Today, Jenna said, "Mom, you're going to be proud of me in the friend department."

"Tell me," I said.

"In my mixed choir class, most of the people transferred in with a friend who they sit by. All of us who didn't just sit alone. Today I was sitting alone and saw someone else sitting alone and I got up and went over and sat by her and introduced myself."

"Jenna, I'm so proud of you!"

"Wait, it gets better. Right after I did that, a guy who had been sitting by himself got up and went and sat by another guy who was alone. I set a good example!"

I think we're going to be okay.

(In the picture, Jenna is running in her first cross country meet at her new school.)