My kids start school tomorrow. (We're taking a step of faith and sending them to the Christian school...) For a month now, I thought it was Wednesday, but it's not. it's tomorrow. And I'm glad I realized it before tomorrow.
How did that happen, though? How did it get to be mid-August? We were looking at our summer, full of moving and renovating and while we did go on vacation, that was really the only purposely fun thing we did.
The other day Adam came up with a weekend plan involving grilling out and hanging out and going on a day trip. "We live in Colorado but we don't do anything we couldn't do in Illinois."
Touche.
He was so right. We spend our weekends playing catch up...whereas most people out here spend their weekends relaxing...and you know what? I think they're on to something.
As a sort of "last hurrah" before heading back to the grind, we took the kids to Estes Park yesterday. I know that it's not possible to go "away" every single weekend, but if we could, I think we'd consider it. Getting out of cell range...away from the reminders we still have trim to paint...without access to the work hidden inside the laptop...it was the best thing for us.
But I think it made me acutely aware that in just one more day, we'll be shoving the kids out the door at 7:30 to go to their new school (again) and I'll be home without their chatter.
Don't get me wrong. I won't miss the arguing. Or the constant questions or the "Mom, can you do this...?" which seems to happen at fifteen minute intervals.
(Dear Courtney, please correct your posture. Signed, your backbone.)
Back to school time is sort of a love-hate thing for me. My kids thrive in school. They love it. They live for it. It's their favorite. And I love seeing them happy. But I really do miss them when they aren't here, wrapped in our little home-cocoon.
(Dear Courtney, please get some quality sleep. Signed, the puff under your eyes.)
This year, I'm determined to be utterly organized. To stay on top of permission slips and paperwork. To pack lunches and lay out clothes the night before. I'm determined, I tell you. I won't let homework get away from me. I won't forget they don't have school and take them anyway. I wake up late and rush around trying to throw them out the door with a Pop-Tart.
I have better things in mind this year and I hope I can pull it off. So, come tomorrow, my house will be eerily quiet. Just me and the Hobbit.
And I'm going to miss them...
A lot.
What about you? Do you love or hate sending your kids back to school? What will you miss most? What are you determined to do differently this year?
