Last First Day of School

Today is Emily's LAST First Day of School.. (and I forgot to even post last year's first day of school oh well..) It's her Senior Year and she's driving herself. No more chauffeuring her but I still have one that I need to drive..

Emily's Buick Verona and even has a reserved parking space at school! Life as a Senior has perks!

Hannah started her Freshman year at FCS (yes, a different high school than her big sister!) 2-1/2 weeks ago and even as a 0 period.. start time 7:00am! Yikes!

Hannah's Freshman Year.. Emily as a Freshman also.

No worries.. she'll be eligible to practice diving next summer! YIKES again!

First Day of School x 2

FINALLY! School has started! Well actually school has just started for one of my girls. The other one started two weeks ago.

Hannah started at a new school. We didn't want to leave KHA but knew that God was in control. Long story-short, KHA temporarily suspended their middle school due to low enrollment so we moved her to FCS this year. Their school year starts mid-August so Hannah had to cut her summer short unfortunately. She literally had two months of summer vacation: June 15 - August 15.

She's smiling here but on the inside she was a wreck!

We were still able to go on an Ow Family trip to Seattle and Vancouver in June (a first since 2002 which was the last time all my siblings and parents traveled together) and our annual stay in Monterey at Matthew's boss' vacation home.

Hannah's summer consisted of:
- Making many DIY videos
- Vlogging our Monterey trip
- Working on summer homework: a pre-algebra review workbook assigned by me
- Reading 2 novels as summer reading homework assigned by FCS

After school on the first day of school was all smiles.

Hannah's transition to her new school even with three former KHA classmates, was tough the first week but as the weeks went by her anxiety lessened. We are thankful for the kind and understanding support of the FCS teachers and administration.

Emily started school today! A sophmore at WHS! She got an extra two weeks of sleeping in and staying in her pjs!

My sophomore is almost as tall as me.. just little under an inch.

Emily had a heavy load her first year in high school and did well so I let her relax for the summer. I thought she would have a boring summer but apparently she was quite busy..

Emily's summer consisted of:
- One week away at Hume Lake Christian Camp
- Five days of volunteering at Resonate Church's Turn It Up Summer Program; she was on the Food team and completed 23 hours of community service
- Completed the online driver's ed course and passed the written DMV test so now she has her learner's permit! YIKES!
- Bunny-sat for five days
- Created our Monterey vacation home video (Matthew says now he can retire)
- Read 37 books

Emily has all but one of her classes with Rachel (left) again!

The years go by so quickly.. ten years ago..

First Day of Kindergarten for Emily - 2006

Change is never easy. I don't like it. I don't look forward to it and I don't ever look for it. I don't get bored and antsy. Starting at a new school was hard for me as a parent who has been volunteering/working at the same school for the last 10 years. But life needs change or you get complacent. Change helps you grow and at 50 I think I'm ready to grow! LOL!

And She's Off.. Part Deux!

My Baby is a Middle Schooler!

Hannah starts 6th grade today!

Hannah with her friends Katelyn and Michelle.

Hannah with Katelyn in Kindergarten .. seven years ago.

And there are many changes...
- She starts school 15 minutes earlier than before.
- She'll have a locker.
- She'll have 3-4 teachers (depending on her elective).
- She'll change clothes for PE.
- She'll have an iPad to use for the year.
- She won't have her big sis on campus anymore. :(

But on the upside, Mama will be teaching Yearbook again at the school.

We appreciate your prayers through this process of change for Hannah and that her anxiety won't increase but instead she will gain confidence through the unfamiliar. My prayer 'word' for Hannah through this year is CONFIDENCE. I pray that she will gain confidence in all she does through Christ Jesus.

Emily has officially completed her first week of high school! It's not what she is used to but she is trying to get the hang of everything. My friends say it can take up to six months to a year to transition from private school to public high school. My daughter sees things very black and white so this new season of her life can be very gray-ish. My prayer 'word' for Emily this year is COMPASSION. I pray that she will have compassion for everyone and everything that she encounters that is different from what she is used to and familiar with.

And She's Off!

We are taking a break from our regular posting to give you this announcement...

First Day of High School!

She's a Husky now!

 It was just yesterday she was starting kindergarten..

And then middle school...

6th grade for Emily; 3rd for Hannah

Two years ago she dreaded this...

Just got her braces on! OUCH!

because of this...

Before with all her crooked teeth..

but now she's all smiles...

Ready to get those darn things off finally!

because of this!

Braces off right before school starts! Perfect timing!

Public high school will be an adjustment.. 11 years at a small Christian private school is all she's known. We are so thankful her childhood friend, Rachel, will be in 5 of her 6 classes. Pretty fortuitous since there are around 500 freshman at the school.

Rachel & Emily at their lockers

It's so tiny.. full with books already.

Two schools for pick up and drop off for the first time! UGH! Hannah will be starting middle school.. next week. Yes she is still on summer vacation. "Lucky poo," her sister says.

Last First Day of School

Emily's last "first day of school" at KHA. My 8th grader. Where has the time gone?

Emily and Hannah (5th grader)

8th grade class line up

It wasn't too long ago that she started Kindergarten at KHA...Oh some nine years ago..

First day of Kindergarten for Emily and Hannah was still home with me

Kindergarten line up..

Sadly over half of her classmates in this Kinder class left to attend other schools. Sigh.. nothing lasts forever!

What Nemo said

"First day of school! First day of school!" was actually yesterday for my girls.

I think our school started the latest out of all the area schools but my girls weren't complaining. We enjoyed a longer summer.

Emily is entering 7th and Hannah 4th grade. Hannah has Mrs. Hinton.

September 2013

Oh look at that.. there's Emily with Mrs. Hinton when she was in 4th grade! We are so lucky to have her as a teacher again! She's a awesome teacher and colleague of mine!

September 2010

Here are the girls three years ago when Emily was entering 4th grade and Hannah 1st grade.

Here are some of Emily's classmates now in 7th!

Can you recognize some of them when they were in 4th? They are all in the above picture... just a little taller and more beautiful!

Hannah with her cousin, Marissa, who is starting 2nd grade!!

My how the years fly by!!