Three Kids and a Dog: Goodbye 8th, 5th and 1st Grades

It was a busy week last week with the end of the school year. It seemed like they were finally just going back full time when we had to say goodbye for the summer. The goodbyes were a little bittersweet too.

Austen graduated 8th grade with a big outside ceremony. We were only allowed 4 tickets and it was a weekday night so we took him to dinner at Michael Jordan's restaurant bought him a high school sweatshirt/tshirt as well as a Luis Robert White Sox jersey and called it a day. I didn't get too emotional over 8th grade graduation but it was a little sad that for the first time next school year my kids won't all be at school on the perimeter of our park. Austen moves on to high school and has to take the bus for the first time ever. That should be fun for him. I'm sure he'll be asking for a car soon too so he doesn't have to take the bus once he can drive.

Peyton graduated elementary school and is moving on to 6th grade. It was the last time that she will ever be in school with Hailey. Kind of sad that Hailey won't have a sibling to go to school with again ever, but I think Peyton's ready to move on. I'm glad we got to "clap her out" of 5th grade as they paraded around the blacktop of her elementary school for the last time. They also got to enjoy a big party at Go Ape (zip lining) and hanging out with friends on the last day of school.

Hailey was the only one that was truly sad to leave first grade. She melted down more than once that it was over and she couldn't go back. Quite a reaction considering that she didn't even have her full class (half went in the am and other half in the pm) all together until recently (after spring break). Maybe that's why she reacted so strongly. They were just coming together and then it was over. I'm glad she enjoyed her year and her end of the year party with her girlfriends from her class at a neighbor's house.

It's always exciting but sometimes hard to move on and leave so many memories and teachers and sometimes friends (who move on to different schools) behind so I'll end with a favorite C.S. Lewis quote:

"There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind."