Dear Nate…. It’s a little shocking to see you in your hipster glasses and big First Grade desk, ready to tackle a year of spelling tests and fast facts. You’re the baby of our family, and we would all probably feel most comfortable if you needed us to keep wiping your nose until you’re 22. But it’s only...Continue Reading
Dear Catie (on your first day of middle school)… Suddenly, here you are, at the tipping point between childhood and adolescence, right at the center of growing up. The teenager-you is slowly emerging. You’re suddenly taller than some grown-ups, your wide brown eyes are pretty, in the way that will never need mascara. You can cook dinner, beat Daddy and me at trivia, and understand...Continue Reading
Dear Elisabeth…. Wow! You have been so READY for today. You packed your backpack days ago. You set out the perfect first-day-of-school outfit last night. As we’ve talked and prayed about this year, you’ve said over and over: I want to do everything right. Elisabeth, you are outstanding at doing what’s right. You are a homework-finishing, uniform-wearing, seated-before-the-bell-rings...Continue Reading
Dear Nate… You are so ready for Kindergarten. You have heard the stories about how ridiculously fun Mrs. Miesner is. You have watched the Kindergarten classes as they played big-kid instruments at chapel. You have heard unbelievable tales of Kindergarteners reading whole books–on their own. You have listened wide-eyed to the incredible stories of a class with no naps, who has cooking lessons and...Continue Reading
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Help me accept our schedule is about to be nuts. Summer is family interdependence, melting into each other, and learning life together. Next up: jarring tardy bells, horrible flash cards, afternoon practices, and late nights of fractions. These will blow our family cocoon to smithereens. Give me the...Continue Reading
Dear Sam… You are the most curious kid I’ve ever met . You are not only curious, you are impatient to understand every aspect of the world around you. So many other grown-ups tell us stories about the interesting questions you ask them. Kids tell us about your kindness. Daddy and I say to each...Continue Reading
Sweet Elisabeth… You are the picture of the perfect First Grader: excited to learn, confident of what you know, determined to please your teacher, liked by your classmates, and enthusiastic about every single part of your day. Your enthusiasm for the school day is fun to watch, Elisabeth. You’re dressed in your uniform before the...Continue Reading
Dear Nate…. This is your first year to go to school all day and every day. No more pajama days. No more Best Friend Days with just me and you. Ready or not, your days will be filled with school for the next twenty years. Ready or not, your are now a big-boy student. Of...Continue Reading
(Ed. Note: No FAQs today as I’m writing the annual first-day-of-school letters to the kids. Here’s the first one, complete with tears and some extra pictures of the first day of school.) Dear Nate… You are full of surprises, kid. Daddy and I would have bet money the first day of school would be very...Continue Reading
Yesterday was the first day of school. You know that weird time-lapse trick that happens on really big days? The trick that makes normal 24-hour days feel like they hold an entire week’s worth of activities? Y’all. Yesterday was like ten days rolled into one. Before we even left for school, the kids had lived...Continue Reading