Back to School and Wes' New Job

First Day for our 8th, 6th and 3rd graders 

The kids had mix emotions about heading back to school. They were excited for routine and the next season /sports but they had such a fun summer it was hard to let the relaxation and staying up late end. Sadie is in her last year of grammer school and has Mr. Pfieffer. Levi has Mrs. Wolf and Leighton will have a variety of teachers including Wes for PE! 

Pre school start gathering of Rocky River families that go to WCA! There is quite a few! 

The dads prayed over the kids

Back to school open house was a good time for the kids to get to see classroom, meet teacher and settle their supplies in their desk 

Open house night was also a good time to reconnect with friends.

Sadie and Vivian

The begged for starbucks special drinks on Day 1

Wes is starting new role as educator (Dean of Men and Common Arts/PE teacher) 

don't let the smiles deceive you, we still had some attitude on first day

 

I was off from working the weekend too so I took the opportunity to deep clean the house and it felt good!

Pray this from Every Moment Holy with me. 

Creator God, who parents us all, hold my heart as I practice letting go, hold this child as the school day begins. There was a time when I celebrated each small milestone, witnessing steps as they were taken. Yet now I watch those same sweet legs walking away from me toward people and spaces I know little about, and I feel, at my best, an urge to slow down time; at my worst, a fearful grasping for control. May this bittersweet pang point me toward a deeper truth, where each small goodbye— be it silly or tense, tired or tender—is a chance to give thanks for the gift of this child, and to remember that they are neither my possession nor my identity. I am not the author of their story, Lord. You are. I am not their ultimate protector, Lord. You are. This is both a relief and a surrender, as I release the prideful notion that my proximity secures their safety. A LITURGY FOR Dropping Off a Child at School ALLI R. DAHLGREN I have no shield with which to guard them, but your unending faithfulness; no comfort to console them, but your transcendent peace; no assurance to offer them, but your perfect love. Creator God, who parents us all, hold my heart as I practice letting go; hold this child as a school day begins. Every day my child is more aware of this beautiful, hurting, complex world. As their mind grows in understanding may they also grow in faith, seeking and finding your presence, Lord. Be to them a constant friend through the crowded and lonely hallways of these formative years. When they feel anxious or insecure, remind them they are loved. When they feel pressure to impress and prove their worth to peers, remind them they are already loved. When they make mistakes, great and small, and feel the sting of shame, remind them that no matter what, they are fiercely and completely loved. May this buoyancy of belonging fill them with a confidence to extend your generosity toward others. May they have humility to learn from those who are different from them, and a soft heart for those who are struggling. May each of their own hurts become a source of empathy and compassion, fueling the courage to choose kindness over what is popular or easy. May they see themselves as part of your kingdom already breaking through, shining light into shadows with every action done in love. Creator God, who parents us all, hold my heart as I practice letting go, hold this child as a school day begins. In this passing moment full of backpacks, buses, and bells, I pause and acknowledge your goodness, shown in and through this unique child and the person they are becoming. May they open their heart wider to you today, allowing your hope to shimmer through them, even as they rest in the truth of who they already are: a beloved child of God, woven and held together by your gentle and mighty hands. Amen