Color Me Oriented

Today was Parkside orientation! I took Emma and Leah up to the school and the big event was getting locker assignments. And then trying to figure out how to work a combination lock to open those lockers. I knew the girls would be using lockers, but for some reason I never thought about how they would need to get into them. Like by remembering a combination. Something I still occasionally have nightmares about. You know, the whole forgetting-the-combination fiasco? Yeah, it still haunts me.

Of course, I immediately transfer my phobia to my children and have visions of them stressing out and crying and freaking because they can't get their lockers open. But I kept my concerns under wraps and watched how after a few tries they had it down pat. And these two have minds like steel traps, so I am sure they can't even conceive of forgetting their combo. The school also encourages students to come back over the next couple days to become more familiar with the whole locker situation, so come Wednesday, the official first day, it will be smooth sailing.

We met their home room teacher, who is very nice and very young. I was grateful for both. While I had nice teachers growing up, I don't think I ever had young teachers. Every single one of them could have been my mother if not my grandmother. Which really has no bearing on the nice factor, but I also like young. Maybe a bit easier for kids to identify with? Whatever the case may be, I think we are in for a really good year.

I sat through the little 20 minute presentation and this town crier had a hard time keeping her composure. Surprise, surprise. When they put an overhead of the daily schedule up on the screen, my first thought was I need to write this all down. But then I realized that this is Emma's and Leah's schedule, not mine. They are responsible for getting to where they need to be when they need to be there. And I looked over at them and was again struck by how they are growing up. It was scary and exciting all at the same time. I was able to hold it together until I was relating everything to Melissa, when I just couldn't hold it in anymore.

Another milestone reached....sitting up, walking, talking, riding a bike, and now, at the age of ten--using a combination lock. My, how they grow.