Grade 8

Tomorrow is the first day of school hereabouts. It's been all the talk on Facebook & my non-ALI message boards, etc., and of course, you can't miss it in all the malls, stores, newspaper & TV ads, etc. etc. Adding to the fun (not), AF decided to pay me an early visit, just in time for this long weekend (impeccable timing, as always...!). My one reprieve this year: the annual Labour Day weekend get-together with dh's cousins was cancelled this year because of the recent death of dh's uncle, so I don't have to listen to all his cousins who are not just moms but also teachers. 

Katie would be starting Grade 8 tomorrow. Grade 8!!! I remember my first day (and subsequent days) of Grade 8 very well. We had moved to a new town over the summer, so I was "the new girl." Ugh. Oh well, I survived. I like to think Katie wouldn't have had to go through that. She'd be turning 13 in November. A teenager! 

At most schools hereabouts, Grade 8 is the last stop in either elementary or middle school (jr high) before moving on to high school. My understanding is that Grade 8 graduation has become almost as big a deal as high school. In some ways, I'm relieved I don't have to deal with that. 

But it hurts too, thinking about how much fun it would have been -- having grad portraits taken & proudly handing them out to friends & relatives, shopping for a nice dress (& no doubt fighting over it, lol), giving her flowers from her dad & me, arranging for hair & nails to be done as a special treat, taking pictures. 

I miss my little girl every single day. But tonight, it's hurting a little more than usual. :( 

2010: Grade 7

2009: Grade 6