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Nose for News by Sarah Stultz

It’s the week before school starts again, and it’s beginning to feel like it’s the week before Christmas and I haven’t started my shopping yet.

All summer my son and I have been counting down the weeks until school starts up again — Landon loves school — and we’ve been so busy that now it’s time to buckle down and get some school supplies, some new shoes and a few new outfits to send him back to school in.

As a child I used to love going back-to-school shopping. I remember it fondly actually — picking out the different supplies on my list at the store and then bringing them back home and packing them and repacking them into my bookbag in preparation for that first day of school.

There’s something about fresh supplies that I love — I’m one of those people who could go in and actually have fun buying pencils and notepads and markers. And I love how there are different colors and designs so you can usually pick out something to match your personality — or at least find your favorite colors.

To this day, I still love buying office supplies, and nothing beats fresh unused crayons and colored pencils.

On Monday, we get to go and meet with Landon’s special education teacher at the middle school and then check out the school. I’m eagerly awaiting how that transition will go for him.

Landon is very routine-driven, so fingers crossed it will go smoothly. Being in a bigger school with more kids will be a lot to take in.

Prayers, too, that this mama will hold it together.

Sometimes it seems like it was just yesterday that the Early Childhood teachers came into our home and started working with Landon. Then came preschool, which seems like a blur, followed by the elementary school years, which we were in the longest.

Now, Landon’s approaching 5 feet tall, and I have no doubt that in the next couple years he’ll pass me in height.

It’s hard to believe!

I’m hopeful that the when given the opportunity to grow more this year, Landon will rise to the challenge. He has made growth in several areas recently, and I’m excited to see him continue to learn and grow.

Now, I just need to get out there and get the shopping done and maybe that will help calm some of this mama’s nerves.

Happy week before school, everyone! Hope next week goes well for all the parents out there.

Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune. Her column appears every Wednesday.