First day of high school

Yup, today is the big day.  My oldest girl starts high school.

This is a huge occasion for us.  She has been in one school system for the last nine years and tomorrow she dives into a whole new world.  She goes from a graduating class of 26 or so kids into a class of more than 300 students.  I guesstimate that out of all those kids she will know about 10.

Wow.

She promised me when she was just a little girl that on the first day of school I would get to walk her to her first class, holding her hand the entire time.  Little does she know that I do plan to hold her to that.  I'll just manage to do it early enough in the morning that no one else will see.  Her homeroom will be right around the corner from me.  Her homeroom teacher has known her since she was just 3 years old. 

It will be the best of times.

It will be the worst of times.

Pretty much every dance she goes to in high school, her mama will chaperone (hey, it goes with my job).

Her homeroom and locker will be around the corner from me for four years. 

She looks enough like me that she is not going to be able to deny we are related.

Doomed? 

I hope she doesn't feel that way.  She's joining into my other family.  The one I have belonged to since I was in high school.  She might have a harder time keeping secrets from me (which I know is a disadvantage when you are a teen) but she'll have people in her corner like no other--teachers and counselors working to make sure she fits in, enjoys, and does well in high school.  She is extra blessed that besides my immediate co-workers on my side of the building there are some very special people in another department; people who worked with my sister when she taught at our school too. 

I know that tomorrow will be full of worries for her:  Who will she have lunch with?  Will she make friends in her classes?  Can these new friends be trusted?  Where will she sit?  Can she handle the work?  Will she be all alone?

She won't be alone.  She'll have extra eyes watching over her (not in a creepy way!) and she will find that the new world of high school will be a whirlwind of fun.

And she will always know that when the day is just too much to bear, mama is just around the corner.