Well, much to my surprise, Logan returned to school part-time today. Due to our state, our county's Department of Health, and our school district being so strict since the pandemic first affected us last March, I honestly did not think that I would see this happening during this school year, but it did! Unlike Ella, who started going to school four days a week this week, Logan will only be attending school two days a week on Wednesdays and Fridays. Due to the new state guidelines, our children are only allowed to be in school IF their class is less than 15 students. Since Ella's 1st grade class consists of 13 students, her entire class is now allowed to meet together which means that she can go to school four days a week instead of two days a week. Since Logan's class is larger than 15 students, he is required to meet with only half of his class two days a week until this requirement is lifted which could not happen this entire school year. So, although I would absolutely love to see him attending in-person school more than two days a week, I will take whatever we can get at this point.
Since Logan does not like change and new situations, he is usually quite nervous for the first day of school. However, since he has been meeting with his teacher and class online since the beginning of the school year, it already felt to him like he was going into a familiar, comfortable situation. As a result, he had absolutely no first-day-of-school jitters and was nothing but excited and happy to be returning to school. Of all three of my older kiddos, Logan has definitely grown the most tired of online school and staring at a screen for hours five days a week. We packed up all of the things that he needed to bring to school yesterday which was a LOT since he had to bring school supplies, his computer, and all of his textbooks and packets that he has been using this school year on top of his backpack, lunch, and water bottle. He went to bed happy as can be last night and woke up this morning just as happy. After getting dressed in his outfit (including his new pirate shirt), combing his hair, and eating breakfast, Logan headed out to the porch for a quick first-day-of-school photo shoot before climbing in the car with Ella and Emmett in tow.
Once we arrived at the school, we gathered up all of his bags and made the long walk from the side street to the door where the 1st and 3rd graders are now assigned to enter. I was thrilled to learn the other day that Ella's and Logan's grades were assigned to the same door so that they can walk together every morning after I drop them off since parents are no longer required to walk their children to their entrance. Logan happily got his hand sanitizer while I asked which way he should go to find his new classroom. He then gave me a happy wave over his shoulder as he walked through the door with Ella behind him. I was just so grateful to have him returning to his school almost a year later! Since Lia is totally self-sufficient and basically takes care of herself each day during her online school, I didn't have to worry about rushing home. Instead, Emmett and I ran four errands after dropping the kids off which is something I used to do on a weekly basis before the pandemic closed schools last year. We then came home and Emmett was able to watch some Elmo while I made some phone calls and cleaned up the breakfast dishes before sitting down on the ground with him to play choo choos before lunch time. It was such a relief to be able to spend our morning doing the things that we used to do before this craziness all happened. The house has been so much quieter today and it has been so nice to spend the morning the way that I want to spend it while knowing that my two children are receiving the quality education that they have been lacking for so many months now. We are hopefully starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel...
Logan posing for his traditional, first-day-of-school photo on the front porch. I can't get over how tall and grown-up he looks in the photo. He is definitely no longer one of the "little ones" at his school.
A close-up of my cute, 8-year old boy who is soon to be nine!
A happy Ella joined her brother for a sibling picture.
Logan and Ella all masked up and ready to walk to school.
Emmett, Ella, and Logan paused for another picture before we all entered the side gate and onto the school grounds.
Ella and Logan waiting in line to enter their designated door into school.
One last photo of Logan before getting his hand sanitizer and heading into the building!
Logan and Ella hopping off their bus almost seven hours later.
A close-up of these bus-riding cuties.
The kids "smiling" for me behind their masks as they call it a day and climb into our car. Logan had a great, first day of school, but he was sure pooped!
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