Red, White, and You!

The boys got to meet their teachers at HCA's "Red, White, and You" Back to School BBQ tonite!

It was very exciting, having driven by the campus so many times this Summer, to be able to walk through the doors for the first time. It was not long after walking through them that I was hit with a sudden and unexpected wave of "What am I doing here?" One look at the "Welcome to Kindergarten" sign on Mrs. Clackett's door, and I was the puddle of emotion I'm surprised I haven't been sooner.

Mrs. Clackett, however, could not have been sweeter. She seems like the quintessential Kindergarten teacher, and though she apologized "if it seems like all they do is play in her class (she said she stresses a lot of learning through play)," that sort of emphasis sounded PERFECT to me for a room full of five year olds.

"Room full" is kind of a misnomer. There are only four kids in Jones's class, which is absolutely incredible to me. I think that student:teacher ratio will be so, so good for Jones. I consider it a real God-send, evidence of His personal care for my timid, tender Jonesie Bug. Further comforting my tends-to-be-anxious kid was the train table in the middle of the classroom, as well as the fact that a classmate from Clyde First Baptist will be the other boy in the class.

Thank You, God, for Your loving kindnesses to my boy.

Jones refused to have his picture taken with Mrs. Clackett (here's hoping he'll let me get one on Thursday morning), but beyond that, he seemed VERY settled in his new classroom. And can you blame him? The frog-shaped name card on his TOP SHELF CUBBY (at Clyde, Jones ALWAYS wanted to get there early, so he could score a first-come, first-served top shelf cubby) is GREEN. Guess what his favorite color is and always has been - GREEN, so seeing the green frog on the top shelf was just about all of the excitement he could handle.

From there, we visited with Mrs. Burke, Freddie's teacher. Her room isn't yet ready, so he'll start the year at New Covenant Church and then transfer to the Main Campus in a month or so. Still, we loved her, too, and were thrilled to hear that her daughter has eczema, as well, so she'll be especially compassionate to our baby Bear.

Headmaster Herbert's brief comments were amazing. Her heart for Christian education - and her announcement that the accreditation board referred to the school as "having God's fingerprints all over it" - were beautiful affirmations of why the boys are at HCA. I'm remain prayerful that God will let me keep them home for school after this first year, but I am nonetheless convinced that, for as much as I wish He'd let me homeschool them this year, they are exactly where He wants them to be.

And THAT is exactly where I want them to be.

His letter from Mrs. Clackett this Summer
contained a ticket to retrieve something from
the classroom Treasure Box on
Red, White, and You nite.
Jones has been looking SO forward
to claiming his price, which was ...
A SCOOBY DOO TOY!

Peep that train table!
Jones Pressley will be RIGHT at home! 

This right here - this is what
turned on the waterworks.

There's Scooby!

A GREEN FROG! A TOP CUBBY! 

The boys were THRILLED for the chance to play
in the classroom kitchen! 

The Wolves Den (I think that's what
they called it) Lunch Room

Mom bought both boys a new HCA
shirt - of course, Freddie had to put
his on right away. #clotheshorse

The boys ran and played in the open
field, while we waiting in line
for the really delicious barbecue.

Freddie found a dandelion,
and, as he always does when he finds one,
he had to run it over to his Mama.  

God bless these precious boys. 

Tailgate Picnic in "Nana Pop's" flatbed 

Of course, Freddie slept in his new shirt.