For many across Texas, today was the first day of school.   For my grand-daughter Jordyn, it was the first day of kindergarten.  She is actually younger than the state law allows which says the student must be five on or before September 1st.  Jordyn will be five on September 4th so not a big stretch but one that is not acceptable in the state of Texas.  Jordyn will start kindergarten in a private school and then will be able to move to a public school later in her academic career.  I think it is a good decision because she is precocious and quick.  As my friend said today, her vocabulary is probably bigger than ours.  But also, all my daughters (who had winter birthdays) tended to physically mature early (which I am sure they are happy I am sharing) and this way Jordyn will be one of the youngest in her class not one of the oldest.

Ready to go!

I remember (sort of) having my mom drive me to the bus stop for my first day of kindergarten.  The bus stop was a quarter-mile or so from our house and I was in the afternoon session of kindergarten so I could not go with my sister in the morning.  Obviously, hair cuts and styles have gotten better in  the 50 years since I started school (wow, it has been 50 years since I started school-that is a scary fact!).

My first day of kindergarten 1962

I wonder if Jordyn and I were similar in size-there is no way to know.  I was already horse crazy at age five so we had that in common.  But it would be a long time until I owned my first horse.

I enjoyed school, was a good student, and an avid reader.  I hope Jordyn has a similar path.  It will be interesting to see where the world is when she is ready for college. 

Lauren and Ally both returned to college full-time today as well.  Lauren is currently pursuing a degree in education and hoping to transfer to a university to double major in equine management.  Worse case scenario, she can teach and ride for fun.  Best case, she can teach riding and manage her own equestrian empire.  Ally, with two children at home, will have a harder road with finishing her education.  She is getting her bachelor’s degree in Finance having already completed her associate’s degree.  I admire that she is going to school full-time.  I know they will both be successful.

My father got a business and education degree in 1933. At University of Chicago and later Harvard, he continued his education.  He ended up running an airline.  Something that didn’t even exist when he graduated college.  I remember he used to give seminars to college students and others on career planning.  He always gave the advice to get a solid education and rely on that to be able to do the things you wanted to do as the future unfolded.  Still pretty savvy advice even now.