First Day of Fifth Grade

Ethan on his 1st day of 5th grade

Today was Ethan's first day of his last year of Elementary School, a bittersweet moment if there ever was one. The biggest of the littles, poised on that precipice of tweendom, in that neither-here-nor-there land.

There is a whole year ahead of us, and much to do and learn, and yet there is that feeling of the beginning of an ending, that just... is.

Ethan has been at this school the whole time, entering as a just turned 5 year old so many years ago. Could he ever have been as tiny as the kindergarteners we passed today? Doubtful, but must be so.

We are seeing friends and acquaintances - both of us - that we haven't laid eyes on for nearly three long months, and the kids, they've all changed. Gotten taller, older, teen-y-er.

Ethan is about due for a big growth spurt, I can feel it coming. Mostly because his feet have just jumped a size and a half in two months, necessitating a major back-to-school shoe shopping session... Which he did not mind one bit, that fahionista son of mine.

Ethan's look saying "Enough pictures, Mom!"

I wish I had more time to enjoy all the feelings involved this back-to-school stuff, but I was deep in the detritus of my mother's life all day, getting ready to store or shed everything she and my father ever owned.

I jumped ship for an hour, left the great pack to pick Ethan up, necessary on his FIRST DAY of FIFTH GRADE.

But once I had shown up, my job was done. He really wanted to walk home ALONE with his friend, our upstairs neighbor. Not yet, my son, but I agreed to let them walk a half block ahead and make their own street crossing decisions, carefully observed, of course.

Walking home with a friend

Jake goes in on Monday: a new teacher, a new classroom, a new school building. Exciting and scary all at the same time.

Beginnings and ending, it seems like my life is all about that right now, as ever.

How did your back to school go?