Back to School

Ah, the first day of school! Did you know it is possible to feel compelled to do a happy dance and be sad at the same time? It's true. By summer's end, the boredom-induced bickering between my two, sweet, precious, most beloved children just plays jump rope with my last nerve 'till I want to see a school bus so bad I'm reduced to looking them up online and show them to my kids saying "see kids, you're going on one of those really soon! Yep, you sure are, oh yeah.

But then the day comes and so does the real bus and my same beloved kids, now chatting happily together and dressed all spiffy in their new back-to-school-clothes, loaded with backpacks and smiles, climb on, happy to see friends they haven't seen since the beginning of June and eager to embrace the day. The doors close, my kids and I exchange sign-language "I love you's", the bus drives out of sight and then it happens. There's no music but someone's humming, there's toe-tapping which progresses into full-out dancing; there are high fives all around and then...a few tears.

Yes, there are a couple of moms new to this first-day-of school ritual and their hearts have just jumped into their throats with the realization that they have just entrusted their beloved child to a complete stranger! Oh, the rest of us remember that feeling well. We tear up too with the recollection and rush to hug, share stories and encourage them praising them for their restraint in not following the bus to school. I, personally, had no such restraint with either of my kids but that's a story for another day.

This day I skip home ready to enjoy the peace and relative quiet that awaits me on the other side of my front door. I say relative because, well, I do still have that 13-week old puppy who has to pee every 20 minutes and my beloved hubby works from his home office. Still, I'm heartened to hear no whining, no tattling, no teasing and no Hanna Montana. Peace (relative). 15...30 minutes, tops, goes by and I'm suddenly struck by quiet. Apollo's sleeping, hubby is busily working...It feels a little empty...There's no laughing, no giggling, no surprise hugs, no little faces at my front door asking for my children to come out and play. Just. Quiet. Sigh...

How long 'till the stranger brings my kids home?

Be blessed.
Melanie


This was actually taken on the 2nd day of school (I forgot my camara the 1st day)


Only 2 days of school and my sweet boy was just tuckered out.


He doesn't even go to school but he's tired too.