Back to School Bliss

Sunday evening while at my parents' house (BTW- my parents gave their 'non-homecoming, homecoming talks' and did a fantastic job!), my sister-in-law asked me if Casey had a locker partner. Um, what? I totally didn't even think about that. He needed one by 10 AM Monday morning. See where I'm headed? All of Casey's friends are going into 8th grade, and they don't let you locker with someone in another grade. We decided he would just take a chance and make a new friend. That will be good for him, to make a fresh start. So Monday morning, we searched through Casey's closet to pick out something to wear for school pictures. Nothing. Everything has a picture or writing on it. And if you know me, you know how picky I am about what they wear for pictures. No problem, we'll just leave early and stop by the store before registration. How was I supposed to know that there isn't a store around that opens before 9 AM? After driving around for 20 minutes, we found that Target was open. We ran in and found a shirt easily enough. I decided to see if we could find him some shoes that didn't look like they had been through World War II. That was mistake #1. I drove to the store that we have had the most luck with in the show department. No luck there. The next stop: Payless. Not my favorite place to buy shoes for Casey, but it was in the same building and we were running out of time. Buying shoes there only means I'll be back in a month or two for a new pair, and their prices really aren't all that cheap anyway. After trying on a dozen pairs, I convinced him to just get the $5 boat shoes as a back-up pair and we'd get him a nice pair later.

Luckily, we arrived at registration 15 minutes early. First stop: school shirts. He wanted a school sweatshirt, but all I had was a credit card and they only took cash or checks. I didn't bring any because the one paper I got in the mail said that they take credit cards. I scrounged through my wallet and found $20 in a hidden pocket. :) Next, we hopped in line for a locker. I'm glad we got there when we did, because the line quickly extended out the front door to the school. After getting his locker assignment, (thanks, Deidrien!!!!) we got school pictures and his ID card. It was a good thing they took credit cards because I only had a few more dollars in my possession.

The next line was for the actual registration and fees. I had no idea that prior to arriving I was supposed to get online and print out a 20 page packet of forms to be completed before arriving. They did, however, allow me to take most of them home to fill out later. I handed my credit card over to the lady and paid for my child's public education. I was supposed to take my receipt to the next line and be given my son's schedule. But since I didn't have proof of his immunizations (once again- a letter home would have been helpful) they wouldn't give me his schedule. No problem, I'll just bring it back later.

On to the gym for orientation.....As we arrived at the door, we were asked to show his schedule. I explained that we didn't get one because I didn't have his immunization record (which, BTW, if it hadn't been for our awesome pediatrician, he wouldn't' have even been up to date, because nobody even told me he needed a chicken pox or tetanus booster.) We weren't allowed into orientation unless we had a schedule. So let me see, you are telling me that because youfailed to notify us that we needed certain papers, my son won't be allowed to attend orientation? So he will be uninformed about school policies, schedules, activities and the like? That makes sense. Lucky for us, I have gained a backbone when it comes to my kids and their education. I told the man what I thought (politely, I might add,) and he allowed us into the gym.

After watching the cheerleaders dance (...more convinced than ever that my daughters will not be cheerleaders- no offense, anyone...really- it's just not for me) we went for a tour of the school. Casey found his locker and opened it on the first try!

We went to the doctor's office and picked up the needed proof of being a good parent, and returned it to the school. By now, the line wrapped clear around the gym. Did I mention how glad I was that we got there early? I rationalized that since we had already stood in the line once, that I had the right to go directly to the front and present the school nurse with our papers. She filed them away in exchange for the oh-so precious schedule.

It's official. My son is in Jr. High.