August 22, 2012: The Start of School
The boys pose for a pix with Grandma and Grandpa in Zach's college apartment Grant went back to school today. He was my final of three to start which officially closes out our summer of 2012. All of our vacations are now in the books. Family reunions are done and out-of-town visitors have gone back to their respective homes. Grant and I did enjoy a day at the zoo on Monday to add a bit of a "bang" to our summer close. But along with a non-ceremonial beginning to the school year, it was also a reminder that the days of my boys' carefree youth are numbered. Grant is twelve. Although on Monday he was excited about the prospect of a day at the zoo (with his mom, no less); I am keenly aware that the probability of this being the case next year at age thirteen is slim. An era is closing in on me. Our first day of school in years past included much hoopla in the preparations; hours organizing school supplies into new backpacks, filling out stacks of paper...