Our first day of school!!!!

And it was a SLAMMING success, by my standards!  Despite it being a bit of a difficult day sending Ash off and all!  

First, I'll post pics of all my beautiful kiddos, click to make them bigger if you'd like. 

         Isn't he a sweetie.  I <heart> my sweet Ashie.  He got to experience the schoolbus for the first time today... more on that later.  Next is Elliott, who is looking JUST like his Grandma Lois these days! holy cow! 

Next is Leif, Annabeth, Chloe, Nik and Alex :) 

And a couple of group pics, since it took 2 to catch everyone's face :)

So, we did pictures, and got Asher ready for the bus.  Then I brought him out to the bus.  I had been preparing him for a few weeks... talking about how a school bus would come to our house, and how it would pick him up, and he'd say "Bye bye mommy!" and go to school on the bus.   

Well, today came, and the bus pulled in...  after a wow... and a point by ash.... 

And then I walked him, no- nearly dragged him to the bus! his reaction was NOT what i'd expected. but he did get on the bus and I walked in with him and talked to him as he buckled in.  Poor guy was pretty shell shocked...   

It was hard- both Elliott (his twin) and I were bawling our eyes out. But we survived and had a pretty fun day.  

We started by sorting through papers, labeling dividers and making covers for everyone's binders.  We then did our Bible time, and our study in "Leading little ones to God"   Then we had some yummy cinnamon rolls and hot cocoa for snack. I think that will be a new first day tradition.  

Then everyone went outside and ran around, I finished binder work and when they came back in, we moved to the couch for read aloud time.   We got a total of 4 books read (or a chapter or two read, depending on the book) which I felt great about for our first day! 

Reading aloud is our primary goal for this year- there is SO MUCH great literature out there, and a good book is so inspiring, transformative, and all around FUN!  I'm loving independent homeschooling this year and am so grateful to not have to have so much accountability.  I love that we can learn what we want, when we want, and use as much "religious" material as we want! 

Ash made it home! and Elliott gave him a GIANT hug.  Everyone was so happy to see him!  He seemed really shell shocked and didn't seem happy to see us, but i suppose its the crazy newness of the whole experience...     

What was funny was he spent the entire afternoon/evening singing "Bus bus bus buh buh bus" to the tune of "the wheels on the bus"  I guess i know what song they did in circle time at school!  He's so musical :) probably a musical genius :) autism does have its benefits!  

Its never felt so good to rock my sweetie to sleep... ahh... i love my ashie... 

All in all, it was a good day.   Hopefully the first of many!