The Last First Day of School!

The twins started their senior year of high school! Despite all the restrictions in place for COVID, it still felt like a first day of school. The day itself was pushed back to early September. Our school district was trying to start before Labor Day but it didn’t happen this year. Anyway, the kids got up early for the first time in months. We had our usual back to school breakfast. They reluctantly posed for photos and looked at their schultutes (traditional German gifts of school supplies). Then the usual routine changed. They walked out the door and over to Royce’s new car. She drove the two of them to school for the first time ever. Phil, the school run driver for the past five years, watched with me as they drove away.

Then, the very next day, the high school closed down due to covid cases! Our seniors, under the current plan, were only going to school every other day for a shortened day but they were very happy to do so. But then that option was off. They then went completely virtual for two weeks. All sports stopped. All community activities stopped and it felt like we were moving backwards in slow motion.

But the high school re-opened! And my twins are back at a semi- normal approximation of things. They go to school a couple times a week, come home for lunch, do homework for a few hours, then head out again for sports. We are thankful to have the buzz of kid activities, even if it is a reduced buzz to past years.

Tori also went back to college in September. I went with her and was heartened to see the usual college move-in scene, teary parents, happy teens, everyone buying college gear at the bookstore. Just with masks. The quad at Tori’s school is gorgeous and as we walked through it definitely looked like college. Kids putting up hammocks, a dog, a few frisbees, a few open pizza boxes. Again, just with masks. It looked like it would be okay to me and it seems like it is. We have not heard much from our college student but our interpretation of the cryptic text messages we receive is that is okay. Not great, like last year but okay. Maybe even bordering on good.

Back at home, senior year marches on. The kids’ sports had their traditional senior days, with the seniors getting posters, roses and more photos. In years past, the whole team is present but this year’s senior day was just the seniors and their families. And it was fine. Like many things during COVID, I’m finding the events and experiences are stripped down to their essence and maybe that is okay. There is not much more to say at Senior Football Day and Senior Cross-Country Day except you did the sport for four years and had fun. The quicker simple ceremony is less likely to make me cry. But the marching band started to play and I started to cry anyway. It is just going to be one of those years, I think.