A Post About Firsts

We didn't really want it to happen...

but school started on August 25th. This is Jumble on her 1st day of 11th grade,

Minnie on her 1st day of 8th grade,

and Jet on his 1st day of 4th grade.

Kindergarten starts a week later, so Atom will have his 1st day this Wednesday, September 1st. But he had his kindergarten assessment appointment on August 25th so he got to walk down the "red carpet" like Jet did. This was the 1st time I have seen anything like this on the 1st day of school. The teachers were all dressed up in tuxes and formals, standing on either side of the red carpet, cheering each child into school! (School was starting by the time we had to be there for Atom's appointment, so most of the teachers were inside by this time.) I don't have any photos of Jet because I didn't know they had this cool idea planned so I didn't have my camera with me when I dropped him off. This was an hour later (the schools have two start times around here--half the kids at 8:00 and half the kids at 9:15.)

This is Atom outside his classroom, waiting for his turn with his teacher.

And this is the 1st pumpkin we have ever grown in our own garden (we have 5 more out on the vine.) This is also the 1st time we have succeeded in growing yellow squash and zucchini in our garden, but these are not the 1st specimens. They have already been eaten. There's also a tiny cucumber under the zucchini on the right. They haven't grown too well. Maybe they'll do better next year. Lots of tomatoes, as usual. Love tomatoes!

The infant girl I babysit is no longer an infant. She is celebrating her 1st birthday today. We went to a 1st birthday party for her last Saturday.

Last, but certainly not least, Niles will have his 1st day of work at his new job next Tuesday, September 7th! He will be the Community Development Director for the City of Highland, UT. Hooray!! His place of work will be 2.5 miles from our house (instead of about 30 miles) and will also brighten our job security and financial outlook. We are very grateful he has had a job these last 4 years, but it has been pretty uncertain and turbulent, so we are VERY grateful for this new opportunity for him. He certainly deserves it!