104 Days of Summer

I actually have no idea how many days of summer break there are. Phineas and Ferb say there are 104, and that school comes along and interrupts it. Oh, how I relate.

This summer was the shortest. summer. ever.

I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because we did little resting and relaxing? Maybe it's because time passes more quickly as we get older? Whatever the reason, I can hardly believe Casey's first day of first grade is this Thursday.

His school supplies are all purchased. We've poured over his class list. His teacher's two sons are actually two of the before/after school care staff members, so we think that bodes well. About 1/4 of his new class is comprised of kids from last year's class. And we know a hand full of others through the neighborhood or before/after school care, or for some other reason.

Tonight at dinner, Jason was telling Casey how he'd be at his elementary school until he was 11, then he'd go to the middle school next door-- and then we'd decide what to do about high school when the time comes. (The high school Jason and I graduated from is an open-enrollment school and Casey's aunt teaches there. So even though it's not our "neighborhood" school, we might consider it. Who knows what life will be like in another 8 years, though-- so, we'll see.)

Then Jason told Casey how the friends he's making now will probably be his friends for a very. long. time. To support Jason's point, I piped up. "Casey, do you know who my oldest friend is?"

Casey played right along: "Who?"

"His name is J____ P_____, and I met him on the first day of first grade, on the swings. We've been friends ever since."

"Where is he?" Casey demanded.

"In New Mexico. He lives in New Mexico."

Casey screeched in laughter and delight: "He can't live there. You can't live on another planet!" He turned to Jason incredulously. "PLUTO! You can't live on Pluto!"

"Not Pluto, Casey. New Mexico. It's a state."

But the moment was gone. He has no idea that we were trying to explain to him that the relationships he forges now may very well last him a life time and shape the person he becomes. I hope he's as lucky as I was. I have remained in touch with a couple of my elementary school friends (and not just through Facebook- I have in-person interactions with a couple of them!). I hope his experience will be as positive as mine, that his friends will stand by him. That they will experience adventures together, learn from each other-- rely on each other. I can't believe he's in first grade already. Wow.