Today was Harper, Hudson and Solomon’s first day back to school.  It’s only a 1/2 day, but I still had all the emotions.  They are actually out tomorrow and then go back full time on Friday…summer is over you guys…what happened to the time?!?!?

I’ve yet to find Amon and our youngest a MDO program.  I have severely procrastinated on practically everything lately.  Too much on my brain and here I am at the beginning of August with a business to run and no MDO lined up.  Geesh.

The littles and I ran a few errands after we dropped the big kids off.  Then we came home and are now watching Amon’s request for “The Bear Movie”.

Amon Kelley Fun Fact #7:  He loves bears!!!!

While we watch I am immersed in beginning of the school year paperwork x 3. I know it’s coming every year.  In preparation this morning I might have purchased pretzel, pumpkin and coconut almond bark thins.  I need an intervention.

I’ve decided this is my favorite new school year picture to take of the three of them.  I imagine Amon being thrown into the mix in just 2 years and any other kiddos who come our way.  It makes me teary, but what’s new.

The whole family went to school together this morning to walk the big kids to their classes.  I love their school.  I love this community.  I love for my kids to learn, but more than anything I love the opportunities they are given every single day in school to love on their teachers and friends…to show the love of Christ in their own ways.

Education is important.  I know it is…I was a teacher, but more than grades and learning to further their future, I want them to learn to be kind and loving and compassionate and generous and respectful.  I want them to learn this world is not easy, but Jesus is constant…never wavering.  They are faced daily in their school and classrooms with opportunity after opportunity to love and love big.  They will be surrounded by all kinds of peers who are similar and different than them.  They will be faced with a plethora of situations…easy, hard, fun, sad, intimidating, exciting, etc, etc, etc…so many things they will face…so many things they cannot control.

We want to raise kids who are warriors for Christ…we want to raise children who will fight the good fight right along side us.  We want to raise children who in all circumstances look to Jesus first.  We want to raise children who know more than anything in this world…grades, success, looks, accomplishments, money, all the things the world tells us are the most valuable…that the 2 most important things are to love God and love others.  I want them to know they are world changers.

I want them to know they will make mistakes…we all do.  I want them to know only Jesus was the perfect person.  I want them to know how their actions can speak so loud and how their words can carry life and death.  I want them to realize the weight a sincere apology carries.  I want them to know compassion so deep in their hearts and how much a smile and a kind word can brighten a friends day.  I want them to know they are Christ’s disciples and can show His love everyday to their classmates and teachers.

As I walked through their halls this morning I just felt thankful.  Thankful for all to come in another new school year.  All the important life lessons we’re going to be a part of in their little lives…the good and the bad…the easy and hard.  All the hope and trust and faith God promises if we just rely on Him.  They are His and He is good.

So we pray.  We pray over their lives, their hearts, their classmates and their teachers.  We offer ourselves up in any way we can…we open our hands wider.  And we talk…we talk about their days, their feelings, their choices, their emotions…about the good and the bad and we acknowledge we are never going to be perfect, but Jesus is!  And we choose to see His goodness and mercy and grace and how He alone changes us and deserves all the praise and glory for His mightiness.

High hopes.  We have such high hopes for this new school year.

Happy Wednesday!