Dear Boys,

Summer vacation has come to a close and here I am not believing another school year is beginning.

Einstein, you are going into 6th Grade. In our school, this is your last year of elementary. I'm so glad of that. I'm not ready for you to be a Middle Schooler. I distinctly remember rocking you as a baby and your blond curly hair would brush my cheek. Eleven years later you can stand flat-footed and it does the same. You are so grown-up, so wise, and yet so much still my baby. Your teachers always fall head over heels with you. I know this year will be no different. I wonder if this will be the year for girlfriends. Oh, I SO hope not. You have all the time in the world, son. I'll be your girl as long as you'll let me..

Squid, 4th Grade for you! You are the compassionate one - the one who can't stand to see someone be picked on. You can't wait to get back to class to see your friends. You've already laid out your clothes. You chose a t-shirt which says "These guns are registered as lethal weapons". This is talking about your massive arm muscles of course. We laugh long and hard at you giving us 'Gun Shows' with your scrawny little pipes. Blessings on you this year, son. You are so smart and your friends adore you. You are quite the ladies' man, too, but as with Einstein, a little too shy to take the leap into the land of girlfriends. The offer I made Einstein is also good for you...:)

Big Daddy - Holy Cow - 2nd Grade will not know what hit it! So much personality packed into such a little body. But you are a good boy, well-behaved and well-loved. The older kids get a kick out of you. I do believe you are as well-known in the High School as you are elementary. You, just like your brothers, are smart as a whip. And you, son, have street smarts. That is a gift I pray the Lord uses in a mighty way. You are tenacious - another great gift when used well. How I long to see how Jesus is going to harness that for His glory!

Though I tease about how glad I am for school to start, I will miss you guys. No mom likes the idea of giving her children to someone for the better part of your waking hours. The house will be quiet and somewhat clean. The refrigerator will have a few more groceries. But your mom will look forward to 2:45 every day as I squeal into the driveway before I'm late picking you up.

And if I don't quite make it, you know exactly where to sit by the office until I get there...

May God bless every moment of your year and may you have only happy memories...

We love you, boys!