First Day of School

We had about a week before school started after we moved into our house. So, we hustled to unpack and school shop. We were told the Friday before they started school that they didn't have room at Old Orchard for both boys, only Caleb, so if we wanted to keep them together, we had to go to Pico. So, to keep the younger boys together, we went to Pico. So all of their first day of school pictures are going to Pico.

It was a hard start for them. They couldn't make any friends and no one would talk to them. Caleb got an amazing teacher at Pico and Asher's teacher seemed to be great too but things weren't looking good on the friends front. After a week at Pico, Old Orchard called and said they had room for both the boys and we needed to let them know what we were going to do asap.

We thought long and hard about it. If we stayed at Pico, none of the kids Caleb would be going to his Jr High next year and he'd have to start all over again. Also, it was a big school. We felt that the boys were little fish in a big pond. BUT- Pico is a 10/10 top rated school and academic wise, we couldn't get any better. But we also had to think about friends, influence of friends and their social needs. Pico didn't offer anything on that front. They would continue to be odd man out at church and among their potential middle school friends because they wouldn't go to school with any of them. We also had to think about the fact that Macie couldn't automatically go to Pico fo TK. She'd go to Old Orchard and this could be my only window to get Asher back into Old Orchard because he may not again.

After all things considered, we decided to switch the boys to Old Orchard and once again they were the new kids. But after just a few days at Old Orchard, they already had so many more friends and felt very comfortable there. It was the right choice for them. So while all these pictures are of them at Pico, they no longer go to Pico. They go to Old Orchard.

Now about Ethan. Ethan started at Placerita a few days before the younger boys. He walks with Tate Fuller (he's in 8th grade) who lives across the street and is in our ward. He also walks with Brooke Fuller, Tate's younger sister, who's in 7th grade like Ethan. They meet up with a couple kids who live on another street too. It's been so great. Ethan has made friends and is getting more and more familiar with the kids in the ward too. He's enjoying Placerita. He is in advanced orchestra and is now doing Placerita's Major Minors Show Choir. They meet at Hart High School every Wednesday. He's loving it. I never imagined I'd have a son participating in Show Choir at my old high school. It's been so surreal. 

I'm just so happy we were finally in a home of our own before they started school!