Month: August 2016

Has it really been three months already? Is it really time to go back to school?

WOOHOO!!!

I know, I know. It was only a short time ago that I was ready to stop the early mornings, the carpools, the constant emails from teachers letting me know my precious was once again terrorizing the classroom, and the monotony of nut free school lunches. I was excited to have days riding bikes to the lake and late night games. Well, that happened and it was fun and all, but I am ready for the monotony of a nut free home. I am excited to get up and make yummy breakfasts, sing in the car at the top of my lungs “I’m happy cause I’m singing, and its time for school and I’m happy”. I can’t wait to respond to the first email about precious disrupting the classroom. I can see my response now “yeah, yeah, but have you found a decapitated Elsa head in a suitcase with scissors, broken glass, and a rope? NO, I win then!”. I mean how much can one mom take before it is just time for the straight jacket? I paid my dues, you teachers had a nice vacation, its time to come back and give us all a break.

Seriously though, I can’t give you one mom I know that isn’t dancing in the kitchen right now. Summers end is a time of celebration in my little circle of exhausted moms. You see, routine is the essence of life in our world and summer makes it hard to stay in a serious routine. When you start finding tortured dolls and the rages begin to happen nightly with each night lasting a little longer than the last you know that summer is nearing its end, and you pray for the strength to make it just two more crazy weeks. The first day that all the kids are in school together is a holiday around here. I get up, throw on the music, and cook the best breakfast they will have all year. I pour all the love I have into it. I look at all their tired little faces, I see my teenagers roll their eyes as they look at each other and I sing all the louder. “BACK TO SCHOOL, TIME TO PROVE TO DAD I’M NO FOOL” I hear my youngest two laugh (they have no idea yet that some day they will hate waking up before noon) and my heart swells with joy. I think this year I will decorate, just to keep the holiday joyful, ya know?

As of now my teens are the only ones back in the world of learning, oh but next week will be a joyous occasion. I know that this year is going to be great for them both. They are in a great school and have bright futures there and I have days free from the constant questions of “What are we doing today?” “I am so bored, why can’t we go somewhere fun?” and so on and so forth. I am free of the job that they seem to think is mine that consists of entertaining them constantly. Soon they will beg me to just sleep in and stay home doing nothing, and I will be their hero when I am able to grant them a Saturday free day. Their eyes will light up with excitement at the yummy hot grilled ham and cheese sandwiches I will make them for lunch and my heart will be filled with pride as I listen to them tell each other I am the best cook around. The house will be filled with the aroma of fresh-baked cookies once again because I will have the time to put into baking instead of putting out fires between their younger siblings and them. I love school! Teachers are my favorite people. I give mad props to those moms that home school, y’all are crazy patient or plan crazy, I haven’t decided yet.

I know that in just eight short months from now I will be dragging myself out of bed and wishing it was summer already. I will begin to search for family vacations in tropical places. I will wish we could all just relax in the sun and not have to huddle up in our parkas as the van warms up, but for now I am so ready to have all these youngsters in classrooms learning from seriously under paid professionals. I am ready for the fall and all its glory, Halloween costumes, hand-print turkeys, and calls from the principal because my little princess punched a kid that made her mad. Yes, I love school and the break it gives us all from the un-routine summer brings. This is my favorite time of year. As I look to this school year I know that it will be filled with trials but nothing can bring me down. I know that Lil Lil will smile at her new unsuspecting teacher and she in turn will frown at me as I try to let her know how hard it is going to be to get this precious little child to learn. I will smile at her and enjoy the thought of her calling with panic in her voice telling me she has tried everything. I will go to bed each night with a smile on my face as I drift off to sleep dreaming of going to the bathroom without hearing “MOM!” being screamed though the door. I look forward to the peaceful sound of the washer and dryer singing their song of harmony as I fold clothes on my bed without screams of siblings coming through my open windows. Oh, Summers end! You are a sweet song of hope to this tired momma.

Please don’t misunderstand, I love my kids dearly and that is why I love school. I know that they are safe inside a building surrounded by adults that love teaching the youth of America. I know that they will have a bright future and that they are making friendships that will last them through highschool at least. I know that I will be there to pick them up everyday and hear their excited chatter about the latest drama. I know that they secretly love school as well. I know that at the end of this year, they will be older, taller, smarter, and one year closer to being on their own in this world. I love these wild little humans and I love that we  live in a country that believes in education. Yup, summer is coming to an end just as my sanity is and so I write…………..