Starting the School Year

A couple days before school started we spent a morning at the duck pond

It was time for the school year to start before we knew it.  First and third grade.  They both seem to be growing up so fast

Just before leaving the first day.  Gabriel has had that lunch bag since kindergarten.  The zipper doesn't work quite right and I asked him if we should find him a new one, but he wanted to keep it because he likes it so much.  And I didn't realize it that morning but Corban is wearing the same shirt that he wore the last day of school the year before.  That shirt is obviously a favorite.

Corban's teacher, Mrs Wilson (the same one that taught Gabriel in 1st), is really great about sending out pictures of things that they do each day.  She sent this picture as his entire class was eating lunch outside on the first day.  Only one girl was missing since she was sick.  Corban knew all of the kids from last year except for two new boys in his class

Gabriel's class really changed.  As it stood at the end of last year there were only four of them returning from second grade (two of the boys moved, including his friend Grant, and then two other girls didn't come back this year).  We have praying since kindergarten for more boys for Gabriel's class and wow did that happen this year.  There are 11 kids in his class, 6 boys and 5 girls.  There is one other boy in particular that he just loves to play with.  He came home with us for a playdate and they were both excited to discover that they both have ADHD.  They were comparing their personalities and talking on and on about it.  I think it's great that they get along so well together when they both have very Type A, dynamic personalities.  His dad even commented to us one day that he's surprised that they can both play so easily together and compromise and make up the rules of play together.  Gabriel told me that they just take turns making decisions.  They are currently working on writing a comic book together.

And since I'm a couple months behind in posting this, here are their school pictures for the year:

Love Corban with his one front tooth. 
That tooth is quickly growing in at this point

One of his favorite shirts