Remembering the First Day of School

All Dressed Up for School Pictures

I can remember the anticipation (and sometimes anxiety) of getting ready for the first day of school.  Because my mom died the same month that I was supposed to start school, it was a different kind of transition for me…in fact, she died on September 7th, her birthday was on September 26th, school started in September, and my 5th birthday was on October 4th.  By the time she died, there was so much uncertainty that happened within a month’s span.  My brother and I were separated soon after (the tragedy of a parent not having a written will) and my father was unable to care for me and my brother.  I went immediately to go live with my Aunt Grace and Uncle Ervin (who later became mom and dad).  My oldest cousin, Tara, was 5 and because I was turning 5 in October, the school tested me to see if they would allow me to skip Kindergarten and I did.  So as you can probably imagine, the first day of school was filled with much anxiety.  Here I was…almost 5, processing my mom’s absence, the separation of my brother and father, new family to live with, new state, and new school!  As I think about it now, I’m just in awe about how God kept me.  The amazing thing is that I don’t remember the struggles of my emotions during that first day of school but what I do remember about that first day and first year of school was being introduced to my new teacher, Ms. Kirkland, and my new friends at Mount Vernon Elementary.  I remember my teacher and classmates making me feel welcome even though classes had already started several weeks prior.  What I also remember during that time is my aunt being so specific and intentional in telling me “I’m not going to try to replace your mother.”  For so many years I have appreciated those words and her living up to never trying to replace my mom.  Instead, she has been a beautiful compliment to my birth mother.  The love and affection that she and my uncle showed me was unforgettable especially during this first year of school and learning to live without my immediate family.  While this first day of ever attending school was unforgettable there have been many more unforgettable moments of first days of school from 2nd grade through my senior year in high school….from wearing those classic Coca-Cola rugby shirts and Reebok classics to begging for my first pair of riding boots (do you remember that)?

So as I get my two little boys ready for their first day of school tomorrow, I’m excited about the memories that they will be creating about their very own first day of school….some good and some bad.

What about you?  What are some of your memories about any of your first days of school?

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