Last Day of School 2016

I was fine. The boys were happy, laughing. Another last day school come and gone and I was doing ok. Easy come, easy go. Then, stupid Facebook, gave me a 5 year old memory and that was the end of my holding it together. I love Facebook memories. It is one of my favorite things about the social network. But, really, on a day with suppressed emotions and overwhelming feelings of the passage of time did it have to go and do that?  Did it have to show me a picture they claim was 5 years ago when I am pretty confident it was just 5, maybe 6, posts ago.

It snowballed from there.  Turner said he was becoming a 2nd grader.  Chase and Ryder said they were 5th graders. 5th graders are big kids, by the way. Then they reminded me this was the last time they would ride the bus with Joey, who is off to middle school in the fall, and that was it, I became a quick puddle and decided that Decker can't grow up. Not ever. Sorry buddy. 

Turner began first grade with a crew cut so I hardly recognize him in the day one pictures. He entered the grade struggling with reading and has ended the year with a marked improvement. He seems to have an understanding of math concepts that he must have inherited from Delaney and Chase. He went to his birthday parties, made some friends, and seemed to have a good time. He remains to be an indecisive boy who hasn't found his "thing" yet. And, since he is 7, I try not to worry too much about it.   Mrs. Delfini was fantastic, yet again. Ryder had her for kindergarten and I liked her all over again. And, she liked Turner. She described him as helpful to both her and his classmates, happy and positive, with a desire to learn and to satisfy.  I would say she knows him well.  I am excited for him to go to 2nd grade even if that means I'm accepting his growing up. 

4th grade was also a great year for Chase and Ryder. The youngest of the upper classmen, 4th grade comes with much more academic independence, which is good because the math is getting near impossible, and much more social involvement.  Texting. FaceTiming. Hanging out. There was more language, more sarcasm, more thought provoking conversations. Ryder blossomed as a reader finding a real love for books. He enjoyed his class, and loved learning what science had to offer. Mrs. Carey proved to be the perfect teacher for him as she got to know him and understand him and adore him as I had hoped. Chase continued to excel in math and achieve high marks all around, and had an enjoyable year finding common interests with new kids as many of his friends were not in his class. Both boys saw how peer pressure can effect their classmates and how "being cool" often sends people off track. Luckily, my kids stayed in line pretty well but we're disappointed that not everyone did. I am proud of them for continuing to be nice kids, to look out for others, and for them realizing that good friends come in different packages and they aren't always the kids that have all of the same interests. I am also proud of them for forging their own paths, albeit different from each other, and being secure enough with who they are to continue on those paths. 

Overall it was a great school year, one which passed just as fast as each one before it (but probably not as fast as the years to come.)  Another school year passes by and I'll pretend it was easy come and easy go.