School Days

I can't believe that school started back last week. We always started mid to late August when I was in school. The thoughts of school bring up so many different feelings within me. I did ok in school, and I adapted to the fact that I had to go, and that it was a part of my daily life. However, I wasn't a huge fan of school.

Every year, on the eve of the first day, I would be a nervous wreck. Thinking about it now makes me nauseous. I would have trouble sleeping that night, and be wound as tight as a drum the entire day. Then the thoughts that I had to go do it all over again the next day would wear on me until that second day was completed. I finally settled down about a week into it, but those same nerves plagued me every Sunday night into Monday. Thinking back on this makes me so thankful that I am not in school. Shew! There are some really good attributes to getting older.

This year, Chase started middle school. He is now officially a Raider, no longer a "Raider-in-training." George and I were blessed to have him the week that he started school, and I had the privilege of taking him and picking him up every day. I loved ironing his clothes the night before and laying out his lunch money. I was right at home filling out the stack of paperwork that was sent home. My favorite was getting to hear all about his day on the drive home. Then, on Friday night, I got to drive him to his first dance. Memories were created that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Chase Heading to School


I also can't help but think back to other school experiences of my own. On August 12th, 1996, (2+ years before Chase was even born) my Papaw passed away. The following day, I started my senior year of high school. My Mom also had surgery that year, and I drove myself to school for the first time. While I was a freshman at UK, my Granny passed away. That same semester, UK canceled classes for the first time in years due to snow.

My first day at UK, I missed my first class because I couldn't find a place to park. I called my mom in tears, and then my sister-in-law who ended up taking me to my next class. My first day at Vocational School, I was extremely early. Then, when I started at Marshall, I was late to my first class because of parking. Shew! Those are not very good memories.

My best memories of school were made by the people I shared the experience with. I really liked my 1st, 4th and 6th grade teachers. Once I went to 7th grade, I was in "Jr. High." My favorite teachers there included, Coach Easterling, Mr. Shearer, and Mr. Huffman. Then in high school, it was Mrs. Hensley, Mr. Buck, Mr. Calhoun, Mrs. Anglin, Mrs. Marshall, Mr. Wilcox and Mr. Sparks. Of course I also had some pretty good friends and classmates that made the whole experience more tolerable.


WOW! Look at that traffic!


I think everyone adapts to the school routine. It effects more than a few people. The students and teachers are not only effected, but so are the parents, step parents, grandparents, and anyone who faces school traffic going to and fro. There is no longer the freedom and light-heartedness of Summer. Now, we are held to this frame of mind, this schedule, this routine. Bedtimes are enforced, meals are healthier and more substantial. No more ice cream as an early afternoon snack. Even the packs of gum are put up for "adults only." Of course, we do this for the sake of learning...to better ourselves. The things that we learn most from though are the experiences we have along the way.

I don't miss school, but it was a crucial part of my life. It is not that my education has played such a strong role in where I am now, but it was the lessons I learned that weren't in those books that shaped me into the adult I now am. It was mostly the people that God used in whatever way.


First Day was a Success! Look at that Smile!

By the way, Chase's shirt read:
One day I'll be famous, but for now I'm stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons.