The Week for Brayden

Brayden began his 9th grade year at school on Tuesday.  It was a new student orientation, so it was just the freshman that were there.  They started late, left early, had pizza for lunch, so definitely not a typical day of high school.  =)  He had fun, though.  Hard to get a lot of details out of that kid these days (I'll be pushing a little harder on that, we've got to raise him to be able to communicate and share his heart with a future wife afterall!) - but it sounds like he's pleased with his teachers, who he has in his class with him, and the lunch slot he has.  A couple of classes have only 17 students...oh yeah, that's what we are talking about.  

This is him on Tuesday - he sure doesn't look like he should be starting high school, huh?

The next day was the first day of "real school" - and Brayden came home at 6:15 (after practice), alerting me that he needed to be wearing a tie the next day for his first home game.  Oh, this information would have been useful to have heard from the coaches during the mandatory meeting we had to attend on a Saturday night!   I wasn't too irritated, as it was going to need to happen sooner or later with formal chapel days coming up, and we needed to purchase the supplies we'd waited to get until each teacher gave us their "need list".   Well, I guess Brayden and I were going to have a Mommy/Son date at Walmart....  For the record, we did appreciate their supply of "pre-set" shirt and ties for a minimal price.  Our family tends to like our Nike apparel, but when it comes to this formal stuff, not too worried whether or not we are working with name brand!

This picture gives an idea of the next hour went.  Brayden and I worked together to make color coded binders for the classes, with each binder being able to be used independent with supplies.  It took quite a while to get it all organized, and all of the papers he'd already collected signed and placed in each notebook (as a teacher, let me note how irritating it is to receive papers meant to be kept tidy in a three-ring binder that aren't even hole-punched....c'mon folks....make an effort for these kids if you have those expectations!). 

It might come off as overkill, but we are trying very hard to be proactive in every way to anticipate needs and encourage organization.  The workload, in itself, will be hard enough - without the extra effort of having to find what it is he's supposed to do.

This was the outfit he wore the next day...lookin' pretty sharp.

His first home game happened to be one of the rainiest nights we've had in MONTHS.  At least it was a warm rain (we don't say that too often in Oregon).  It didn't begin until halftime, at which point, the Whites had already left.  John wasn't in attendance as he was saving a spot at Mens' Round-Up with Michael for themselves and the boys this weekend.  Perfect timing for that spiritual bonding to happen after such a crazy week for Brayden.  Leona bravely stayed until the bitter end.  I didn't realize it until later, but our 9th and 10th graders were playing a team from Portland of 10th and 11th graders (their JV).  We ended up losing a close battle, 16-12 (the rain caused so many turnovers) - but in light of them being a younger team, they should definitely feel proud of the effort they made.