"1st Day of K4 preschool"....

EB's preschool was one of the last ones to start this year, which I was just fine with.  I have enjoyed having him home all summer.  I think towards the end of the summer though, he was ready to get back into a routine and see some of his buddies from this past year. He told us the week before school started how excited he was to go back, which made us happy for him. He is only going MWF, 9-1.  I won't lie and say I am not alittle apprehensive about his health this year since this past year was such a difficult year for him. But after a lengthy and extensive round of blood tests to make sure he was not dealing with some type of immune deficiency disorder causing him to be so sick so frequently, we received great news the week of school that his labs came back and all looked normal for the most part!  He was slightly under on a few of them, so we had to do a re-test of those levels, but the 2nd round came back 2 days ago and the levels had increased to the normal range!  We were so thankful and relieved. He will still be seen by a children's Pulminologist in October just to make sure his lungs are healthy after so many frightening respiratory illnesses this year. Both his pediatrician and asthma doctor are chalking this up to his new diagnosis of asthma which has caused him to be very susceptible to respiratory infections - whereas children without asthma could get the "common cold" and be able to shake it in a few days, EB doesn't get the "common cold", he gets a whopping respiratory infection. I will be interested to see what the Pulminologist says. So......, I can't keep him in a bubble, so off to school he goes with a new inhaler to keep his airways open...., and ALOT of prayer!

I truly believe he is going to have a great year, and has a wonderfully sweet and caring teacher named Ms. Paula.  We have prayed for her, for his new friends, and for him as he adjusts, and believe it will be a year full of blessings.

On his first day he informed me while driving to school that he didn't need me to walk him in.  He said he could find his way around by himself and introduce himself to his new teacher!  I loved his confidence, and wanted to allow him that freedom.  I had to turn in some paperwork though, so I had to walk in.  I just walked far behind him so he thought he was walking in alone!  I let him go into his classroom alone, find his cubby, and introduce himself to his teacher.  He gave me a quick "bye Mom", and went to the reading corner!  I didn't even get a hug??  Not even a high-five??  Not even a "I love you"??  I got nothing....., but a confident big boy!  I suppose this is what we are training them to do as parents.  So with that very un-eventful 1st day drop off, Ellison and I went to the park to take a walk and feed the ducks.

He's going to be just fine! I have to say that his little sister misses him terribly though. She walks around the house with her hands up in the air saying, "Bobba? Bobba? I not know"......

Elijah Brooks, September 4th, 2013 - First day of K4 preschool 

Ms. Paula and EB, 1st day of school