first - last - and a year ago at this time

Today it's the first day of school in Vermont.  

This was intended to simply be a photo post, but while I'm here, I may as well give an update!

The summer here was epic and for the first time in a very, very long time - we didn't feel the desire to go ANYWHERE.  Between the lake, the mountains, the gardens, the bike path, the incredible weather - we just wanted to soak it all up, so we stayed right where we are and it was divine.

The girls, however, took a three week trip in late June through the middle of July. Their destination was Texas - where they rendezvoused with our old BSA Scout Troop, and headed to the high adventure camp at Philmont.  They took a 12-day backpacking trek and had a great time while covering nearly 70 miles of terrain in the Sangre de Cristo mountains.  Photos of that experience will be posted here at some later date... I hope. 

Henry took off for two weeks of Scout camp -  one week at NYLT (National Youth Leadership Training) in the local Vermont mountains - and another week in New Hampshire.  He had a great time and is really coming in to his own, this summer.  In addition to procuring a job at the local grocery store - he landed a spot on the high school football team; has eclipsed Gracie at 6'1" and is rapidly closing the height gap with his brother who as of yesterday, is 6'3".  

William was accepted in to the US Coast Guard Academy AIM Program and spent a week at "boot camp" which is intended to give rising seniors a flavor of what life would be like at the Academy. It is heralded as the "most accurate" of all the service academies boot camps and was extremely challenging.  When he came home, he was still squaring his meals - despite spiking a 103.5 degree temperature thanks to Influenza A that he picked up while he was there. 

In addition to the Coast Guard flu, that ticked each off us off, and leveled the entire family for three weeks, the triplets had their wisdom teeth out.  In between bouts of sickness and surgeries, we toured several schools in the area: Dartmouth, Middlebury, University of Vermont (again) ... and took a drive an hour north to checkout McGill.  We also entertained my mom, Aunt Grace, little cousin Mary Elizabeth, who flew from South Carolina to Vermont, for the triplets Eagle Scout Court of Honor, which we celebrated a few weeks ago.  So many milestones and big life happenings...

It's hard to contemplate that in less than a year the triplets will be graduating from high school and starting the next chapter of their lives. 

Which brings us back to this post.   Today was the last first day of school for the triplets as they begin their senior year. The first day of high school for Henry as he starts as a freshman. The first time that the four of them have all been together at school in eight years, since we were in Virginia; and the last time the four of them will be together before the triplets graduate. 

There are SO MANY REASONS I'm grateful that we left Texas; having them all together in school is just one of those reasons.  In the area of Texas where we lived, students are in one school for K-4; another school for 5-6 grade; another school for 7-8 grade; a separate school for 9th grade; and another school for 10-12 grade.  Had we still been in Texas, Henry would be at the 9th grade campus this year - and would miss the opportunity to drive, eat lunch, and hang out with his senior siblings.  

Another great thing is that school here doesn't start until 9:00!  Gone are the days we'd have to get sleep-deprived teenagers up before the sun; loading the bus at 6:20.  Now they can wake up well rested by 8:00, have breakfast - and drive themselves to school by 8:50!

OK! Photos! 

First day of school - kindergarten - for the triplets in 2010!

First day of school - kindergarten (Henry); third grade (triplets) in 2013!

First day of school - 8th grade (Henry); 11th grade (triplets) in 2021 from the camp ground in the midst of our "life transition" (aka: mom's nervous breakdown and family relocation to Vermont; best decision EVER!!!)

 

 

First day of school - 9th grade (Henry); 12th grade (triplets) today ... from the front yard of our wonderful new home. Carolyn will laugh seeing that she is wearing the same shirt; and I'm sure she would like the record to reflect that Elizabeth is on a hill AND her tippy toes. Alas, at 5'7.5" the only person in the family Liz is taller than is me.  (But, she is faster than all of us!!)  

 

 

Loading in to the Big Green Machine ... Charlie's 2002 Toyota Tundra truck.  So glad that we decided to keep this truck - it has been the perfect 'learn to drive' vehicle for the kids and with 4-wheel drive, is a great asset for winters in northern Vermont.  

 

 

We had to scoop crab apples from the back so the kids could put in their backpacks and not get them mushy. Ahhhh, this is the stuff of the sweetest memories!