first day of school

Yeah, so I was up until the wee hours this morning, too excited about the first day of school to fall asleep. Not excited as in, I can't wait for the kids to go back. As every summer ends I wish we had just one more week...or one more month...or more. I love the lazy, unstructured days of summer. But Abie started kindergarten this year...my lovey boy. It seems impossible that he could really be old enough for it, though he certainly is more than ready. And Hope started 7th grade at the brand, spankin' new middle school they built right behind Bill's work. And Jake...man, he's in 11th grade! How did that happen? And Clara is at the top of the heap at the elementary school...5th grade and a patrol. Then there's Emma, starting third grade with the very teacher she so hoped she would get. Third grade. I remember that year so clearly and I swear I was older than she is.

Bill's schedule meshes with Jake and Hope's school start times, so he took them this morning...I was up and taking pictures. Bill said that Jake looked at him in the car and said, "I don't remember Mommy taking pictures last year." Oops. I was asleep, honey. I meant to, really, but no one woke me up. I would post them right now but Clara was running amok with the camera after dinner and I can't locate where she put it down. I need a clapper thing for it. At least with the cell phone I can call it and track down the ring.

I got Clara, Emma and Abie on the bus. All hell broke loose when Ben realized he wasn't going to be getting on the bus. Big, loud crying with "But I want to go to kindygahten," thrown in. Poor thing. The bus driver felt so bad that she said we could ride to school with them and then she would drive us back, bless her heart. I declined, telling her that then she would have to do that every day, lol. And, boy, Clara would have been horrified. Mom on the bus. That's enough to knock the I'm a cool patrol right out of ya.

So after that Ben and I hit the road and went a little wild....first Petsmart and then Michael's. Woohoo. Livin' large. I have to say, I rarely get out with just Benny and it was so nice. He's a different guy without Abie around to get nutso with. We ended up getting a thing of those Crayola markers that only color on the special Crayola paper. I've been meaning to try them ever since seeing the commercial with the two brothers rolling around on the carpet, markers all over, caps off. That's Abie and Ben. I'm still waiting for them to send the check. Oh, I also picked up a ball of novelty yarn called Aerie by Moda Dea. (whisper) it's nylon, but it's so, so soft. More on what I'm doing with that later.

By the time we were finished it was just about time for Abie to get off the bus so we went back and waited. He finally got home, all happy but nonplussed. No big deal, mom. Yeah, it was fun. Yeah, we had circle time, but there wasn't really a circle...it was a square...let's have lunch. His biggest story of the day was that his teacher was expaining to the kids that they had to put their nametags on their shirts because they are held on with safety pins...and that would hurt if you tried to put it on your chin. He raised his hand to let her know that they could if they used tape. Ok, double whammy here....first, I have a kid who raises his hand! OMG! I'm nearly positive that the older kids never do and pray that they won't get called on. Ok, Clara does, but that's different. You can tell while she's answering that she is really aware of the fact that she's talkingoutloudandeveryoneislookingather. You know the feeling. Second, it's the first day of school and Abie is trying to make a joke in front of the class. I'm not sure if I should be thrilled or scared. The ending of the story, though, is that she didn't call on him, so he was disappointed that he didn't get to share his observation. Ah, well. Mrs. N? If you're listening, call on Abie. It won't be boring.

So then we drove to a park and had a very lovely picnic lunch. Inside the van. It was just so hot and I hadn't thought about the fact that a new park almost always equals no shade. After lunch we did venture out. It was hot. Really hot. The boys were red faced with rivers of sweat running down their heads in no time flat, but it was fun. Nice playground. It just needs some shade.

Afterwards we headed over to Safeway to grab something cold to drink and then back to wait for the big kids. The boys colored with the new markers. Mostly on the pages, some on each other. They just had to try it. Of course, once Jake got home the first thing he did when I told him what they were is write on my arm. Is it just my kids? Anyway, Jake was mostly pleased with his schedule, I think. He was really unhappy to find out that his precalculus teacher is the same one he had for Algebra 2 last year, but then found out that the other teacher was "worse." So he'll stick it out.


Hope came home so excited and happy...all of her teachers (except maybe one) were so nice and she was just so pleased. Three classes this year with the wonderful Chloe, which tops last year's two. Is there any wonder this girl's nickname is Merry Sunshine? Ok, sometimes it doesn't fit, but no one could have had a better first day.

Clara was pleased that she got to have front bus duty, as the girl who was supposed to do it didn't know so Clara got to fill in. Front bus is a coveted position, lol. She tried to rush off the bus before I could snap a picture, but the bus driver made her slow down and pose, lol. That girl is going to kill me in my sleep one of these days. (-;

Emma was thrilled with her teacher: "She is just so nice! Not even a little bit mean!" Plus they got to choose their own seats so she sits next to George, who has been her buddy and in her class since kindergarten. And that's a long, long time, as she reminded me.

Home and dinner and showers and bedtime. We're all exhausted. I even fell asleep then dragged myself out here to wait to talk to my best friend who, despite what they tell you on the commercials, is going to spill what happened when she went to Vegas for a bridal shower this weekend. I expect to find my life very tame and prim in comparison, but that's ok. I like it that way.

Sorry, no update on the crazy things, just yet, but thank you for your support, People Who Know. It means a lot to me. And I'm fine. Just still shocked.