Returning to "normal"

In a massive leap toward our lives returning to normal, the Deac went back to work today! I think it was a bit stressful for him looking at 4 months worth of unfinished tasks and put-off projects. But he'll roll with the punches and be in the swing of things again quickly.

Today I got the paperwork to open enroll Emmelia into the elementary school we'd prefer for Kindergarten next year. Yes, NEXT YEAR and I'm already having to put her on a waiting list for a public school. Crazy! Having had her in the pre-kindergarten room this summer and having a chance to interact with the kids going to kindy this fall on field trips, etc., I'm actually glad she's got another year to wait. Academically she's more than ready, but having another year to emotionally mature won't hurt a bit. I was even surprised to find out that she is physically a little smaller than most of the kids going to kindy this year. Supposedly physical size is directly proportional to success in elementary school.

Yesterday I took Em to a birthday party for 2 of her best friends (neighbors with similar birthdays, so they had a combined party) and realized that this week might be the last week she sees some of her friends. She's staying in the pre-K room at daycare, but most of her summer classmates are off to kindergarten this week at schools all across the area. Some of them will be doing before- and after-school care at the daycare, but some will be doing it at their elementary schools now. These are kids we've gotten to know well over the past 4 years and it's kind of an odd feeling watching them all go their separate ways now. I hope Emmelia isn't too traumatized by seeing them all go, but she's pretty adaptable. And she has some friends in the preschool room that will be moving into pre-K next week. So she'll probably do okay.