We Have an Owl!

The major reorganization buried one of the big headlines from Friday: we have an owl!!!

Issa's school mails out postcards every summer with the teacher assignments for the coming year. Issa has been watching the mailbox, desperately hoping she would be one of Miss Howell's Owls. She likes the mascot, but she also likes that when you get to be a "good enough head reader" Miss Howell lets you read while you are walking in the hallways. How cool is that? I like that Miss Howell uses the next academic challenge as the reward.

Issa and I had already planned to do a little back to school shopping Friday afternoon, so when the neighbor called to say they had gotten the postcard it was perfect timing. I actually intercepted the card first; I wanted to brace myself for either reaction. When I saw Miss Howell's name, though, I knew I was about to need earplugs for the squealing. I was right. The neighbor girls are all in different classes, but Issa doesn't seem to mind one bit because she is an owl.

I took a very excited girl shopping, and she found an owl backpack and lunchbox. She also chose some first week of school outfits, but I am sworn to secrecy on the blog until the first week of school--you might need that much time to brace yourself.