First Week of "Real" School

Well, Jordan went to "real" school and we all survived the first week.  I say "real" school jokingly...I get so tired of people asking me when the kids are going to "real" school.  As opposed to being homeschooled.  Because, you know, homeschool isn't "real" school, apparently.  

The thing that's been really surprising to me is the amount of opposition we've seen from our homeschooling friends.  I've never been "against" public school...I just haven't liked it for our family.  And Jordan isn't even going to public school anyway, so I'm not sure what the problem is. I have too much to worry about to care very much what anyone thinks, thank goodness. 

So, last Tuesday was his first day.
He was a little excited.

  

He didn't want us to walk him in.  I fought him a little bit, but then decided to just let him have his way.  Keep in mind that this is a very, very small school.  Plus, a friend from church is a teacher there and she just happened to be manning the door at carpool drop off.  We all went together to see him off.  He got out of the car and walked in with his football friend.  We made sure he made it inside and then I cried a few tears as we drove off.  Nothing major, just a little bit of panic.  I wound up texting the football friend's mother to make sure Jordan made it into his classroom.  He did, and she even sent me this picture to prove it:

After we dropped him off, Chris went to work and Shaun, Violet, and I went home.  I was glued to my phone.  I have also never, ever, been more thankful for social media because they posted a picture on Facebook of Jordan's class and he looked so happy.  

The day dragged and dragged.  We all really missed Jordan!  Shaun didn't want to admit it.  Violet, on the other hand, became very excited when 12:30 rolled around and it was time to "go get her Jordan".  Ha ha!  

This is how Jordan felt at the end of his first day:

We're on our second week.  I'm still working on getting our schedule nailed down.  It's strange having to worry about alarm clocks and pickup times.  Having to BE somewhere at certain times.  I've had to adjust.  Jordan has, too.  His teacher has communicated with me that he's doing very well, but that everything is new to him.  That makes sense. He's used to being on his own schedule.  He is also used to me sitting beside him and keeping him on track with his work.  This has been the biggest challenge for him, I think. 

He came home on the first day bursting with little tidbits..."If we have to use the bathroom, we have to get the pass.  There's a bathroom PASS."  And, "At the end of the day we have 'silent 5' where we can't talk or make noise."  And, "Oh some boys got in trouble today.  They were goofing off during reading time.  And that was their recess!  They actually didn't get to go outside because they were goofing off!"

I love that he loves school.  He seems to really love his teacher, too, and he wants to please her. He didn't even mind doing the reading she assigned over the weekend.   

School tires him out.  Between school and football, he's more than ready for bed at 9:00 every night and he's ready to go again in the mornings.  That's a good sign.  I think we made the right choice!

School, teeth, etc.

Things are starting to get busy around our house.  School's about to start.  On Tuesday.  That's when Jordan's school starts, so Shaun and I will just start then, too.  

Shaun's busy with church stuff, choir, his volunteering, and fundraising for church camp.  Football is in full swing for Jordan. I'm trying to get everyone everywhere and still make it to the gym.  I'm tired, and school hasn't started yet!  

Jordan had open house at his new school last week.  He's a lot excited and a little nervous.  

He also doesn't want us to walk him in on the first day.  I say, "We'll see about that".

Shaun woke up yesterday with a swollen jaw.  He had his wisdom removed 5 weeks ago, so I don't really think it could be related to that.  I googled it...just swelling, no pain, hot to the touch... and I think he has an abscess.  Some further research on abscessed teeth put me in a panic and I called his dentist, who doesn't even have an after hours emergency answering service.  I then gave Shaun's oral surgeon a call, who does have an after-house emergency answering service.  The doctor called back in about five minutes, called in an antibiotic, and told me to make an appointment with the dentist tomorrow.  That's what we'll do.  Poor Shaun looks miserable.  I would never post a picture on here, but his cheek is so big.  He says he's not in any pain and he's had a good appetite all day, but he didn't want to go to church today.  I respected his wishes and left him home.  

Of course, we have to have some kind of issue for the first week of school!