My daughter has started seventh grade. For those who haven’t been reading my blog posts for the past year and a half, that’s the grade my son was in when he ended his life. He was also thirteen; an October baby, so we didn’t start him in kindergarten until he was five turning six. My... Continue Reading →
School Pics & Deep Thoughts
We received my daughter's school pictures today. It's a day I've dreaded since March. Not literally because it was her sixth grade pic - for such an awkward age, I think she looks pretty darn cute, actually. The school pics are proudly displayed in side-by-side, 8x10 inch silver frames. Each year when we receive new pics,... Continue Reading →
Who Cries Over Middle School?
It took me a few moments to realize why I was crying on the second day of school. Who cries on the second day of middle school? Hell, most parents don’t cry on the first. Kindergarten, yes. But middle school? Unfortunately, this situation is anything but normal. You see, on March 15, 2016, the last... Continue Reading →
Tea and Tissues and Middle School
When my children started kindergarten, the principal of their elementary school hosted an event called “Tea and Tissues.” Each year on the first day of school, parents of kindergarteners dropped their kids in their classroom and then made their way to the library, where the principal had coffee and tea and cookies and tiny packages... Continue Reading →
The Truth About Elementary School Graduation
It’s official. My daughter has graduated from elementary school and will move on to middle school in the fall. The hoopla is over. The excitement, the thrill, the celebration…. The sadness. The marrow deep, incredibly-painful sadness. It’s been a rough couple of weeks. And I’ll be honest: the anticipation was worse than the actual events.... Continue Reading →