Mark is a big school boy!

I still need to update our blog with pictures from our weekend at the beach... BUT first I want to share the BRAND NEW pictures of our big school-boy Mark!

Today was the first day of school, and Mark was SO EXCITED that he woke up super-early and got ready and then came to wake us up "just in case we don't hear our alarm clock" (which wasn't scheduled to ring for another hour).

Here is Mark, just before leaving for school.

"I'm ready, Momma!"

Check out Mark's cool Boba Fett jet pack backpack. Mark really wanted to take it to school, so we let him. He has a 'real' backpack, too... but since they don't really carry anything heavy at the beginning, anyway, I figured it wouldn't harm anything if he wore this one.
Ben was able to arrange to work a little later today so he got to accompany Mark to school with us this morning. Sean really missed Mark... he ran all over the house calling for him, and was pretty whiny. I kept busy, and focused on being proud of what a wonderful big boy Mark is growing into, instead of letting myself be sad that my kiddo is growing up so quickly...

Mark is now officially a school kid. He had a great first day - his teacher is wonderful (she is a friend from our church! How awesome is that??!), and he already made a friend with a boy who had the same shirt on as he did.

For my German friends: here in the USA only some children go to pre-school (which in Germany is called "Kindergarten"), and then at 5 years, all children begin with Kindergarten (which in Germany is called "Vorschule"). Children are expected to know their alphabet and basic reading and writing BEFORE starting school in K here. The material they learn in American Kindergarten is roughly equivalent to German first grade.