back to school

Every year, on the first day of school, we take a picture before jumping in the car and heading out to start a new school year. When Austin started kindergarten, we took his picture in front of the old ice house in the backyard. It started the tradition of always taking the back-to-school picture in the same spot. When Rachel had her kindergarten picture taken, backpack on her back, Leah cried and cried because she didn't want her sister to go without her. She would miss her too much. (She is already teary eyed thinking of this time next school year).

With each of them, on the first day, we would take a group shot and their individual pictures. As they got older, there were some anxious complaints about taking the time for the traditional photo. I remember saying, "someday you will be glad we did this." So, without fail, I would get those pictures in front of the old blue ice house.

When we were flooded with all kinds of thoughts and losses with our big move, one of them was the end of the school picture in the traditional spot. Everyone grew to love the tradition after all. Kindergarten through twelve by the ice house, would not be complete with the girls. Rachel only missing one year, Leah two.

When we were there at the beginning of summer visiting the house one last time, we took the time to get a couple of group shots in front of the ice house. It wasn't a cool crisp August morning. They didn't have on their new shoes or their new backpacks, and the butterflies in their stomach's were for a different reason. But they did give each other a big hug and remembered all those other time's that they stood there before... anticipating a new school year.

This morning, anticipating a new school year, we found a new spot for the picture. One that will show where we are now. No longer in the country living in a farm house, but in the desert surrounded by cactus. We did a small group shot and a couple of individual pictures. They didn't have their backpacks over their shoulders, but I am pretty certain the butterflies were in their stomachs.
I hope this school year will go smoothly for them. I hope that they will meet more new friends and have more new experiences. I hope that they will always think back on the yard with the ice house with fond memories, but be able to look at this experience with excitement and someday have fond memories of this time in their lives.

To them...I hope the butterflies are gone by lunchtime.

To the college boy and to Rachel, SENIOR years baby!