Aerin first day of school 2012

Aerin first day of school 2012, originally uploaded by Dancing Crow.

Epsilon girl, off to school.

I feel really ... a bunch of different things, I guess. This kid is going off to school. She's mine, and I worked to get her here, although she definitely did the lion's share of the intellectual effort I can take credit for a lot of support services. It is a really new and different stage, but it won't be that different because she's right across the river.

It doesn't feel huge, or hard, or strange. I do feel bad and mad that bigger, fancier schools failed to see her awesome and bid for her to attend. I am really grateful that this school wanted her, recruited her and threw money at her.

She's pleased to be close to home - she likes her home town, and doesn't want to be too far away. The whole packing for school thing was a breeze - if she wasn't sure she'd want it, it is here until she calls for it. She pointed out to her father she's closer to him during the day than she used to be. He twitched.

And probably part of why I'm less coherent than usual is because I'm looped on migraine meds. So I feel Everything All At Once.

Once again, just like every first day of school since preschool, I've counted it a success if my kid isn't wrapped around my ankle weeping at me not to go, and I'm not the parent in the car weeping over the loss of my kid my kid's innocence something. Given those paired criteria, today was a roaring success, with bonus! laughter too.

The house feels oddly empty without her. I keep poking the thought, like stitking my tongue in the hole a tooth came out of.