On the First Day of First Grade...

Mama cried (but only after leaving the girls) and they were "a little excited and a little nervous" as they said it. Boo, as is usually the case, was pretty clingy this morning prior to leaving the house. She wouldn't look at me on the way to the school and didn't say anything to me once we got there. It's the way she copes. It's heart-breaking to me, though. It just brings back those horribly guilty feelings I had of leaving her in the hospital. I realize it's a totally different situation, but once you experience that and the corresponding feelintgs, you don't ever forget it. I also realize that she doesn't remember that (I hope she doesn't, anyway) whole period of her life, but I do. I will never ever forget. Anyway... I'm assuming that things are going great for them, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't counting the hours until I can go pick them up.

Doodle's appointment yesterday went off without a hitch. They didn't even use N2O on her - which frightened me at first. She was getting pretty scared by the time the dentist got in there, but he had an amazing way with her and calmed her right down. I went to the waiting room at that point and tried to stay busy with the other two girls in order to stay worry-free. By 3:20 (our appt. began at 2:00) I was getting a little antsy. They called me back shortly after that and she was done. Her dentist said, "I want you to know that you have a real doll here. She was such a sweetheart and did everything we asked her to do. She did extremely well, especially considering all the hard work we had to do in there. She's the best little patient we've ever had." She had a pretty difficult root canal, apparently. She woke up at 4:15 this morning with it hurting, so we got her some ibuprofen and let her sleep with us until she had to get up for school. Hopefully she'll remain pain-free today.

On a side note, my devotion today was well-timed...as usual. The scripture was Judges 2:6-3:6, and the devotion itself focused on the need to teach our children to love and obey god and the importance of passing on our faith to our children. There have been days when I have felt like I am just not doing enough, and then I hear one of my children say something that really touches my heart. Last night before bed Hanny reminded her sisters that, "No matter where we are, even at school, lots of people are always with us. God is always with us...and Mama, and Dad, and Meme, and Papa, and Jonathan...because they're in our hearts." It's so comforting to know that my children have that knowledge. I want them to have a relationship with God, and the best way for that to happen is to demonstrate it in my own life. That's what really matters.