My dear friends who read this blog often tell me they need to seek out a quiet corner and a box of tissues before reading my posts.  Whilst I want to write my heart and stay true, I also want to let some light in occasionally.  Light as in sunshine and light as in not quite so heavy.  So this post will need neither tissues nor a quiet corner.   This post is about Isaac’s first weeks at school.

We have chosen to send Isaac to a Catholic school but we are those kinds of Catholics.  The only services Isaac has attended are weddings, baptisms, and yes, a funeral.   In attempt to cover up our deficiencies, I thought I’d get Isaac to learn the school prayer.  My dear friend and co-school mum gently suggested that starting at the sign of the cross might be more appropriate.  At our first assembly half the prep class signed themselves proficiently and the other half had absolutely no clue (Isaac included).  I realised she was right.  Isaac has made up for his signage deficiencies by learning an extraordinary amount of songs about God in a short time.  These songs can only be sung at the top of ones lungs.  Apparently.   But our need to attend church more regularly was spectacularly highlighted this morning.   Isaac looked at me quite seriously and said “Mum, at school we say ‘peace be with you’ to the teacher when we say good morning,  but in Star Wars they say ‘may the force be with you’.  Can I say ‘may the force be with you’ instead?”  Ummm, no Isaac, probably not.

Isaac seems to have decided that school is a chance to hatch cunning schemes.   This week they are learning about kindness and getting rewarded for kind behaviour by earning jelly beans.  Isaac is very close with another little boy in his class, whom I will call J.  He tells me that he and J have devised a scheme where they pretend they don’t have a friend, the other then comes over to be a friend and voilà – a jelly bean.  I tell Isaac, “but you are still being kind to one another.”  Isaac replies, with a knowing smile, “Yes, that’s what the teacher thinks too.”

Today being Valentines day, Isaac wanted to make a valentine for a little girl in his class with whom he has struck up a friendship.  I asked her name.  “I’m not sure,” said Isaac, “but it’s not Jasmine.  She’s very tall.”   So we set about making a Valentine for Not-Jasmine (who is very tall).  It was delivered this morning and Isaac was rewarded with a very big smile from Not-Jasmine.

Isaac also made me my very first bead and straw necklace the other day.  I was overcome with pride as I wore it and nearly burst when he told me, “I found the biggest heart I could because that’s how much I love you.”

Our start to school has been funny and fun.  There have been some tears but more laughs and I am looking forward to many more.