Any of you who have read my blog know how anxious we have been about Izzy going to Middle School. For over a year it was my #1 back of mind worry. I’ve worked really hard over the past several years to live in the moment…not days, weeks or months down the road. But I was not good at that when it came to middle school and Izzy. At the same time I was trying to cope with Jackson entering his Senior year at NHS and leaving for college soon. I worried so much. I would pray and give the worry to God at night, and then take it back the next day. And their 5th & 11th grades seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye.

We spent the summer visiting colleges and I can now picture Jackson being at some of them, living his best life. We spent the summer preparing for MS with OT/Speech and trying a new adhd med. and I saw growth and happiness and the “real” Izzy bursting out in a managed, but free-ier way. And we spent the summer quietly and comfortably at home, cancelling all summer camps to allow Izzy the anxiety free summer she needed. And the 8weeks of summer flew by in another blink of the eye.

And we landed on the doorstep of Middle School and Senior year. I asked for prayers and man did our village pray. They prayed us right into a peaceful, calm and happy Day 1.

Izzy surprised me with only slight anxiety in the morning. She didn’t want to get up, but she’s slept until 11 or 12 most mornings of summer. She mentioned her tummy hurt, but didn’t seem to dwell on it. She got dressed, put her wig on, make up on, and headed out the door without a moment of panic or angst. I didn’t see even the thought of pulling hair. Amazing. The only moment of panic I saw was at the bus stop when the bus pulled up and she looked at me just like a deer in headlights. I just handed her her Backpack, told her to have an amazing day and kissed her head. And she got on that bus like a boss!

It was quite possibly the longest morning of my life. I panicked just a bit when my Life 360 app told me she had arrived at school. Thanks to my friend, Christina, for easing me off that ledge! I pictured what she was doing, where she was, prayed for success with that darn locker. I think I checked my email and phone about 252 times in the 4 hours of the morning. And then she emailed me! A quick little email: “Hi Mom! I’m having a great day! I did have a panic attack but now I’m great! I love you!” That was the best gift God could have given me! What an amazing feeling. What an answered prayer.

She was still excited when I got home from work. She actually told me about her day, things she did, successes she had, that moment of panic (a broken fingernail down into the quick sending her to the nurse after she ASKED her IA for help!) and how she ate IN the cafeteria with two good friends WITHOUT her headphones!

I honestly don’t think she could have had a better first day. Some early success, a little bit of adversity and then more success, friends and fun. God is so good! I know every day won’t be the win that today was. But we’re living in today’s moments, not tomorrow’s!