today school donned school clothes shoes brushed smoothed hair shone smiled pictures front porch walked blocks sidewalk quite load backpacks lunches bulging bags school supplies parents year girlfriend jason crowded sidewalk girls guess event deserves annual walk school reconciliation kind wordy children excess parents awareness surprisingly hard scene words deal spending lots time jason's ex-wife partner tone healthy-ex relationships post road trip husband's ex-wife difficult comfy we're good place sense people generally amazed confused surprised school events introduced parents throws divorce common elephant sorts rooms people confronted love talk opportunity ripe connection divorce theory children affected exposed unhappy marriage long parents stay divorce handled ends harmful long issue children affected divorce they're younger older worst child divorce confusing plenty opportunities divorced parent worry feel weighed guilt watch girls interact effortlessly parents sidewalk walk school worry confusion picture recedes corner spread sweet affection careful measured whims natural impulses relationship adult friends sidewalk ahead runs catch maintains composure fourth grader she's thinking embarrassing walked school parents embarrassing girls feel extra loved celebrated special divorced parents separated parents fact life started kindergarten started preschool parents marriages relationships simply adults love loved stability security wishful thinking part faces arrive grade classroom greeted teacher grade grades family starting fourth year divorced woman now-grown children including moments grade room eventually jason picture excited engagement upcoming wedding promised show photos greeted warmly smidgen surprise judgment hugs entourage trails crowded hallway greet parents left mildly wondering stairs kids learn teacher family talking year's teachers rate crowd door classroom adults girl overwhelming young teacher clear address make easier introducing sort jason title stepfather dad's girlfriend ease confusion making joke we're parents explain she's pretty difficult takes line difficult child world graciously laughs teacher hugging routine mama papa j-dad sending seat begin fourth grade -some classmates sitting tables attentive audience finally leave school awkward moment parents suddenly girls connect give reason walk sidewalk talking girls girls establishes needed bridge we're meander conversation girls we're house talk briefly missing library book checked card brought house lost recently rediscovered wall goodbye individual days feels pretty normal interactions moments school suddenly self-aware proud admit thing divorce healthy parental worries guilt surrounding divorce favorite quotes feel bound preach desmond tutu forgiveness future reconciliation family sharing sidewalk school serve testament fact future girls worth effort 