"What manner of men ought ye be?"

First Day of School

This boy has started preschool like a pro. Why? Because his classroom is well stocked with monster trucks and dinosaurs. He attends two mornings a week and loves it!

Bailey is now in 1st grade and still isn't quite sure what to make of it. She loves her teacher, friends, and big kid desk but misses the coziness of kindergarten.
Trey is in 2nd grade. He comes home every day with some brand new information to share. This past week I've been taught the finer details of rural, urban, and suburb areas. He even drew detailed pictures of each for me so I'd clearly understand.

Tyler has started 5th grade. Here, that means middle school! As long planned, he is now being home schooled. This was a decision Robert and I made very early on in our children's schooling career and the time (middle school age) has finally come. I've had years to prepare and am pleased that so far my preparations have all worked out well. I have the support of the people whose opinions matter most to me and that is a huge encouragement. I realize that, as a friend put it, this is "a road less traveled". But like the poem concludes, I hope this makes all the difference. Tyler is loving it. He's such a great kid.

Our sweet Peyton would be starting 4th grade. His picture would have been of him with a blue shirt and manatee necklace. He would have come home telling me the funny things his friends did and said. I would have seen little doodles of superheroes and manatees on his homework papers. His backpack would have held library books on penguins and polar bears. I'd have one more lunch to pack, one more folder to go through, and one more kiss to give each morning before drop off.

In cleaning out the glove compartment in my van, I came across the bright yellow paper in the plastic sheet protector that I used for pickup in the car line the year we moved here. One side says "Tyler Ricker". The other side says "Peyton Ricker" (Peyt was in kindergarten so I picked him up an hour before Tyler). That sign now hangs taped to my windshield with a new yellow sign facing out for Trey and Bailey. On the back side, "Peyton Ricker". It's nice having little reminders.

Sweet Reminders

He's more like his big brother than he realizes. Whenever we tell him he's a lot like Peyton he says "no, me Jack". He's stubborn and sweet and has a wicked little mischievous side. He loves super heroes like no one other than Peyt. He loves to know he's being covered in Peyton's blanket, or playing with Peyton's toys, or watching Peyton's favorite show.

He points to the pictures of Christ in our home and says "Peytie with Jesus".
I often find him in our library looking through his Peyton book. This particular day he took it with him into my room and this is how I found him.

The joy this little boy brings to our family is impossible to describe. He reminds us all so much of Peyton. Although Jack is definitely his own little person, I'm grateful for the frequent glimpses I get of my sweet Peyt's personality in his little brother. I can just imagine their embrace when they meet again. They'll have a lot of catching up to do.