I Kind of Hate That Heraclitus Guy

 I always say to Daphne at the end of each school year, "Can you believe that Charlotte is going to be in ______ next year?'

But hit me a little harder this year when I received this letter from Charlotte's principal. 

It's the principal's last sentence that gets me, but not because we are already at 100% in person learning.

I've been driving Charlotte to daycare or to school for the last ten years. I used to think I had drawn the short stick in that deal. I handled the screaming/tearful drop-offs when Char was an infant and a toddler. Daphne got to be the hero that Charlotte ran to when the day was over. Often I was the first person out of bed in the morning and the only one who was late for school. Now those mornings are almost over.

These are Char's last weeks as an elementary student. Next year she'll be at the middle school where Daphne teaches, and Char will ride with mom to UMS. For the first time in a decade I'll be flying solo. I won't know what to do with myself.

To make matters worse, the RAV4's motor took a dump a couple of months ago, and while it was in the shop, I had been driving a loaner from my father-in-law. It's a Ford Focus, and because the back seat is so small, Char began riding in the front seat next to me. 

I saw no reasen why she should return to the back seat when the RAV returned. Daphne agreed. It has been really nice to carry on conversations face-to-face instead of through a rear view mirror. Char also enjoys not having to yell to be heard. 

On Monday we discussed the pros and cons of Pop-Its vs Simple Dimples. Yesterday Char wanted to talk about, "Positions that everyone seems to enjoy, but aren't comfortable to you." Today she explained to me why 5th grade has been the best grade so far. We've been listening to the first Maze Runner book on CD, and it's fun for her to be able to pause the story whenever she wants to comment on the action or make predictions about what might happen. More so than ever, taking Charlotte to school has felt like a privilege.

5th grade:

6th grade:

"There is nothing permanent except change." - Heraclitus