It's the First Day of School!

These little cuties started first grade today!  For the first time in their lives, they are going to get off of the bus (or out of the car) and walk into different classrooms.  This has been HEARTBREAKING for me.

Yes, I know that it's best for them to develop apart from one another, but I also know that each one finds comfort in having the other one in the same room.

Yes, I know that this gives them the opportunity to be Jacob and Jeffrey instead of the Meier twins, but I also know that they are an important part of each others' lives and being a unit is an important and special bond that they share.

Yes, I know that chances are their relationship at home will improve, but how am I going to be Mommy to both of them when I have to split my time between their classrooms?

Yes, I know it's probably for the best and that is why I refrained from storming into the school and demanding that they get placed together.  We'll give it a try and see how it goes.

The first day was crazy!!  In addition to them going to school for the first day, I also started my new gig as a kindergarten teacher.

We headed to the bus a little later than usual because we were supposed to be at the end of the route.   After a LONG time, a bus finally came into the neighborhood...but it wasn't the bus we were looking for.  The driver said that there was a change and to get on and off they went.  (While it was a little alarming, it was really an answer to our bus-drama prayers!)  We sent them off with a hope and a prayer that they would get on the right bus to come home.  

After a terrible thunderstorm and a long wait, they finally came back!

This one was a little reluctant to talk about his day.  I think he really missed his brother.  His homework asked him to tell his favorite part of the day and he said it was seeing his brother on the playground.  This is going to be very hard for him, I think.  I don't know how to help him.  He has friends in his class that he knows, but his brother is his calming influence in new situations and he is missing that.

This one told us how much he loves his teacher and all about the stories he read and the practice fire drill.  He had a great day and told us all about it.

As for me, my first day of Kindergarten was the shortest 3 hours of my life!!  All of a sudden, it was noon and I had to get the kids out of there.  There are 19 boys and 3 girls.  This is obviously God's way of telling me that I am never going to have a girl....EVER!

I missed my boys today.  It was great to come home and get a hug and kiss from the baby and then get the big boys off the bus.

Tomorrow, little man starts his first day at my school.  (His first day at the other school is on Thursday!)

Rockin' and Rollin'

I did something today that I said I would NEVER, EVER do.  I put on my shoes and I went out for the Rock n Roll Half Marathon.  But, never fear, I didn't go all the way.  My momma didn't raise no fool.  Labor Day Weekend in Virginia Beach, Virginia is HOT.  It's HUMID.  It's MISERABLE.  The thought of running 13.1 miles in 90% humidity and 90 degree temperatures makes me want to stay in bed.  So, this time I opted for the Half Marathon relay.  One of my MRTT running friends begrudgingly agreed to join me for the relay, even GENEROUSLY offering to run the long leg so I could cross the finish line!  (Thanks, Lisa!)

So, I got up at Disney-early o'clock.  (3:30am, in case you were wondering).  I drove my car to the amphitheater to meet my BRF and my relay partner and a new MRTT friend to catch the 4:30 bus to the start at the Convention Center.  (Why we couldn't park in one of the 2500 parking spots at the race start is beyond me, but I got on the bus, in the dark, with a smile on my face.)  Once we got to the starting line, we chatted and walked around until 6:150ish when I needed to catch yet another bus to the relay transfer.

It's important to note at this point that the race started at 7am.  At about 7:30, the first runners started coming by us.  We also saw the wheelchair racers and the hand crankers.  Right after the lightning fast runners from Kenya and Japan who would eventually win the race, the local lighting fast runners started to come.  We saw the Team Hoyt runners and I started seeing my running friends.

The longer I stood there, the hotter it got!  Lisa is my pace, so we were not one of the first teams to transition.  After my BRF ran past, I hit the portapotty one last time and then Lisa came into view.  She passed off her headphones since I left mine in the car at 4:30am in the morning (Thanks, Lisa!), and off I went.  I only had to run 5.2 miles.  That was my mantra for the morning.  The first 2 miles were BRUTAL.  I was hot.  My water was hot.  My stomach was growling.  (Yes, I fueled properly for the race...had I started at 7.  I did not fuel properly for having to wait in the heat to run.)  After 2 miles, I took the Mandarin Orange GU that I was given earlier in the race (mile 9-ish for the half runners, mile 1-ish for me).  After another mile or so, I started to feel better and get into my groove.  It was still hot.  As we ran past Croatan, those wonderful people were out with Popsicles and water hoses.  Then it was up and over the Rudee Inlet Bridge and I was in the home stretch.  As hot as I was, I loved the last 13 blocks of that race!  (What I didn't love was having to ride the bus back to the amphitheater before I could drive home.)

So, now I've done Rock n Roll.....and now I'm done.  I've had my fill.  Bring me some winter running!!

Next up - Divas Half Marathon in Leesburg, VA on September 14!  (Yes, I know it will probably still be hot....I'm hoping for a cold snap!)