First of First

I feel like I gave more instruction before the first day of first grade than I've ever given before. Be kind. Be friendly. Make new friends, don't be exclusive with the old ones. Don't talk when your teacher is talking. Raise your hand. Eat your lunch. If you don't eat all of your lunch, at least eat the healthy parts. Meet me here when school is over. Go to the bathroom during recess so you don't spend your teacher's time in there. If he remembers even half of it, he'll do okay.

I made him his first ever school lunch. 

Capri Sun
Turkey and cheddar on a pretzel roll
Applesauce
Veggie chips
Rice Krispie Treat

I only just realized that I may have forgotten a napkin. I thought I put one in. Maybe it's folded up under the drink? Oh wait, no. There it is, under the sandwich and the treat.

He was up early, so eager to go to first grade.

He briskly walked across the crosswalk, faster than his little brother's legs could even go. Faster than his mom or dad wanted to go. "I'm supposed to line up on the blue dinosaur! Where'd it go?" He was becoming agitated. We quickly explained to him that other kids had put their backpacks on top of the blue dinosaur. It didn't take long for me to locate it, buried under the baggage of the first day of school.

He has the same backpack as last year. In part, because it's in great shape. Mostly because we're going to have him take it to Israel in less than 8 weeks where it will likely get trashed from traveling and hiking and visiting ruins.

He already picked out a brand new backpack which I'll switch out with this one when we get home at the end of October.

I kind of can't believe he's grown up enough to spend a whole day at school. But, it has happened. The very first day of first grade.