first day of school

Long time readers (and friends who have visited me!) will recognize this doorway, although the enormous children in it might be less familiar. 

Aerin, headed off to her first day as a senior, which thought makes her flinch every time, and more awake than usual at this hour. We can't decide if this is our last first day, or if college first days count too. They probably won't be taken here, unless she decided to commute to UMass. You never never never know. That is the only sure thing with kids. 

Alice is headed into 8th grade, finally getting a chance to be the oldest in school. We moved her out of public school before she got a chance to be big there, and then she decided to go back to public school before the end of the Montessori cycle, so she wasn't the biggest there either. Now she gets to see what it's like. Even if she is the smallest, lightest kid in 8th grade. Al says she has the highest IQ per pound of anyone he knows, and we all think that is hysterical.