(remembered from August 2004)

Things were a bit different for Addi. For one thing, school starts about two weeks earlier in our new town, but when you register for kindergarten you are also given a skills test. Before we moved, Addi was in preschool and seemed to be really taking to it. He was making friends, working on his letters and numbers, and learning what it was like to be away from us during the day. But the move presented us with a problem. I was heavily pregnant and the drive was a considerable one. It was doable, but was it realistic for me to do that three days a week, and then turn around and have to work four hours a night? We opted to keep him home and we would work with him as best we can. Well, the skills test showed that teaching small children is probably not my calling. I was nervous for his first day and prayed he wasn’t the only kindergartner NOT reading at a fifth grade level!

When it was time to shop for school clothes, we went to our local Walmart. Addi wanted a Pokémon shirt to wear on his first day, and I knew that Wal-Mart always has cartoon shirts. I remember that Roy came with us this time. Hayden was little, maybe four months old, and we were in the boys section. Roy was holding Hayden, and I was trying to find some jeans for Addi.

“He needs to try those on, Chris.”

“Yeah, OK… come on, Addi.” I picked up a size five and a size six and marched over to the dressing room.

“I want to do it myself!” Addi took the pants from me and went into an empty fitting room. Roy and I waited patiently for him to show us the pants. He came out in a pair, “I like these. Can I get them?”

Roy looked at me, and he must have seen something in my face, so he answered, “Sure, but you need to put on your old pants, so we can go pick out a shirt.”

I couldn’t believe it. The little boy that gave us such a scare when he was born early; the little boy that liked nothing better than to sit next to me and twirl my hair around his fingers while we watched cartoons together was leaving me and going off to school. Another big difference in our new school district is that kindergarten is five days a week, all day - rather than five half days. This was going to be a BIG change!

After Roy told him to put on his pants, he nodded and ran off to change. Once he was done, Roy took him over to the shelves and helped him pick out a black shirt with Pikachu on it. After we finished our shopping, Roy took us all to Dairy Queen for some ice cream. While sitting there, I remember trying to count the days to the first day of school. How many more days would I have my little boy home with me?

Like his two older brothers, Addi got up his first morning of school raring to go! Roy got him up and out of bed, while I got breakfast ready and nursed the baby.

“How do I look?” Addi came down the stairs, proudly showing off his new Pokemon shirt.

“You look great!” I told him. “Do you want me to make your lunch? Or do you want to eat in school?”

Over the years one thing I have learned is that for the younger boys, this is a serious question. If they pack, they get to bring their favorite snacks from home, but if they buy, they look so much cooler!

“Can I buy today?”

I nodded, and Roy went off to get a few dollars, so we could put them into an envelope for his lunch money. Addi quickly went through his breakfast and sat coloring at the kitchen table until it was time to go outside.

I remember this day so clearly, because as I walked outside, I was treated to the site of a flat tire on my Expedition… great! But nothing could put a damper on Addi’s day. He finally gets to ride on that bus with his two older brothers.

I turned to Corey who was in fifth grade at the time. “Please sit with him on the bus? I just don’t want him to feel overwhelmed or scared, k?”

“It’s cool, mom. I got it.” Corey was in fifth grade this year, this routine was old hat for him.

I heard the bus lumbering down the street and watched as Joey ran across the street to join the other kids waiting for the bus. Corey took his time and led Addi across the street holding his hand. He whispered something to him, and Addi laughed. I was thrilled that he was excited, but since he was across the street, I let a tear fall from my eye. Roy smiled at me and put his arm around my shoulder.

“Don’t let him see you cry, baby.” I nodded and put a smile on my face. This time there were three little faces pressed to the window, arms waving frantically.