Monday, August 24, 2009

School Tomorrow

And so it begins...school tomorrow for all 3 (yes three) of my children.

Carly: She is going to a two day a week program at the Goddard School on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She will go from 9-1, which means she eats lunch there (and I just packed it) This is not really for her to go to preschool as much as it is to compensate for the babysitter that I just lost so that I can do my minimal accounting job. I had used Priscilla every Tuesday since Ally was 1. We loved her, but she lives 30 minutes away. She wasn't going to drive all the way here for just one child, and I don't blame her. So I found something else and I think she will like it. Carly should be good to go. She is not too shy and pretty mature for her age and also the third child. She went for an hour the other day and fit right in. No tears.

Evan: He hops onto the Kindergarten bus tomorrow around 11. So he will be running Carly to school with me and then having some time with Mom before school. His school is only 2 and a half hours. He will come home with all the big kids at 2:30. He seemed a bit nervous tonight, mostly about finding things (his room, the bus, etc) We read the typical "night before Kindergarten" book to him tonight. I am sure they will help him and he will be fine. He is a bit quiet at school (so they tell me...and NO he is not like this at home). Jerad and I actually go with him tomorrow from 11:30-12:30 or something like that.

Ally: Ally is going into second grade. She has been blessed with another wonderful teacher I can already tell. Her name is Mrs. Hamilton. The funny thing is that my second grade teacher was also named Mrs. Hamilton. She has been following our story this summer and seems to have thought of a lot of activities to make this transition easier. She has made a lot of accommodations for Ally including bumping their art class from Friday (when Ally will be at the hospital getting treatment) to Wednesday when Ally can go. She knows this girl has the artistic side to her. She has a lot of ideas and I can already sense that she cares. She has two young kids herself. So she knows.

Ally was all set to start school. Last night I asked her if she wanted to start or not really. She gleefully said that she wanted to start school. Tonight, she went to bed and then she woke up an hour later crying. She threw up a lot. She probably throws up two or three nights a week. Of course, tonight was the night. Never ever during the day, but a lot at night for some reason. So then she started crying that she doesn't want to go to school. So now I have the same pit in my stomach that I had last spring when all of this began and she didn't want to go to school (and I didn't know that she had leukemia). It is just an awful feeling. Well this whole thing is awful, but I hate not knowing and having that stress every single morning when I first wake up. We used to do this whole song and dance and everything just to get her to the busstop. Really...school starting is nerve-racking enough even for the most normal kid, so for her it is ten-fold. It is nerve racking for the normal parent, but for me it is horrible.

Everyone at Valley will take care of her. I know. Her teacher, the nurse, the disability teacher, the principal, anyone will help her. I just have to get her there and hope she can handle it. She has been doing so good, but right now I also have a feeling that she needs blood again. We can see it on her pale face and she is bruising like a banana.

Please say a prayer that all goes as planned for her during this transitional time. I do think if she gets off to a good start it can make all the difference in the world for the upcoming year. If she just gets on that bus in the morning with no tears. Just a simple request.....

12 comments:

  1. Prayers for all of your sweet children as they start their year tomorrow! And prayers for you. =)

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  2. I'll be starting school tomorrow teaching my 2nd graders, and I'll be thinking of Ally and hoping that she has a great first day! Also hoping that Evan and Carly enjoy the magic of Kindergarten and Preschool!

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  3. I will be thinking of all three tomorrow, but of course a little more for Ally because I don't like that she's throwing up! I know it must just be part of the process. I think she will do good though, it's just getting through the first few days and then she'll be good to go. I think she's going to get so much love from Valley, I really do--I just hope it doesn't overwhelm her!

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  4. I am praying for all of you and can't wait to hear how amazing it was afterall!

    Love,
    Amanda

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  5. You are in my thoughts today. I know how anxious I am starting to get with Sam headed to pre-k next week. You have a triple whammy this morning. You will all come through this just fine. As you always do.

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  6. Tons of prayers today for everyone, esp. dear Ally. I pray that she experiences so much love and friendship that she'll be blown away! Trusting God for her today...and for you, dearest. Love...

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  7. I am thinking of all of you this morning and hoping it went off without any snags-can't wait to read the blog tonight and see how day 1 went! (for all of you guys!) hang in there!

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  8. I am just catching up after a 3 day hiatus. I am so praying that today went well for all three, but especially you and Ally.
    Your trip to Erie sounded great, I am so glad for you that you got that chance to be with your Mom's family and spend some time remembering the one you so recently lost. Loved the pic of your Dad telling the stories to the kids on the bed, so precious!
    Jerad, I think you have a new look: pink cowboy hat and bedazzled toes are definetly you!
    LOVE to you all

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  9. I'm late today reading, so I'm really hoping that today went well for all five of you! I've heard really good things about Goddard in general, and I used to go to Valley once a week for my nerd class, and remember it was a great school, even back then.

    So I'm looking forward to hearing how today went, the good and the bad. Hope Ally got some sleep, too....

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  10. Janel, gald you went and had a good time in Erie nothing like going home (so to speak)you needed that time with your grandparents. Jerad sounds like you did well while enjoying a good time with Ally. One on one time is always good with you children. Hope the first day of school goes well.

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  11. LOVE the pix of Grandpa Jerry and Grandma Josie. They look great. Glad you got to spent time with them. I'm sure they so appreciated it.

    Best wishes and many prayers for school. Sounds like you have a great support system there. LOVE to you all.

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  12. By the time I got to read this, the first day of school was over. Hope all went well for the entire family. Ally will be out of her comfort zone for the first time in a long while, but I am sure with the wonderful support system she has, she will do fine. Hang in there Janel. You are doing a wonderful job. Thoughts and prayers are with you during this new adventure.

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