At last, all the mothers say in early September as everyone in the household is itching for a little change. (Before we are all permanently chained to the television). Starting 1st grade was a big adjustment as now every day is a school day. Thank goodness the full day thing was starting in kindergarten as the 7am leave time and 3:30 return home time makes for a long day for a 6 year old. Except for a new teacher every schoolmate in Henry's class of 14 returned so the first day of school was a reunion more than anything else. But I realized that Henry was growing up when I went to get soccer gear for the school soccer team he is on. (It's always about the clothes for me.) His running shoes were size 11 (yikes, no wonder he has complained for the last 6 months they were too small) so had to get new shoes (size 1). Then some of those baggy polyester athletic shorts (the cotton khakis of summer didn't seem to fit the athletic experience), really huge long soccer socks (that my ever-cool son insisted on pulling all the way up his leg like ladies stockings), and most exciting shin guards that we tried on the legs, thighs, arms, shoulders and anywhere else we could try. (Of course, last time I suited up for soccer was in the 70s when shin guards were soft and you wore them OVER your socks, thank goodness the soccer retailer informed me that style would ensure mockery).
So he didn't get home from soccer practice until almost 6pm and Joe informed me I was now in that class so fondly known as "soccer moms". Help. How did this happen?
Then little Zane in a reversal from the last three years of school with his older brother, was all game for anything and everything school. His open house for preschool was last night and he was friendly to his teacher, checked out all the toys, ran through the playground, all the while with a big smile on his face. It was like I had the model child for starting school. All those parents with bawling children will be amazed at my perfectly adjusted and socialized son on the first day. (What they didn't know was the first one, wasn't so adaptable). But what do you expect with a child that has been talking about going to preschool since April (even self potty training in preparation). Of course, with those kind of expectations he may be horribly disappointed.
And thrown in there with school starting, Joe and I celebrated our 9th anniversary. We managed to squeeze in a nice dinner and a certain amount of shock at where we are 9 years later. Almost 4 children, a mortgage debt amount so big I am embarrassed to say on all our properties, 13 rentals, a church we attend and support, 2 different schools our kids are at, our family home we have been in 3 years, a community/town we live and work in, good friends (though seen very infrequently), and we still like each other.
Is it better after 9 years? Well the load of responsibility is almost to the breaking point but we probably fight more fair. A lot more gets "let go". And we can still laugh at dinner (esp. when we aren't trying to get out of there without things being broken). Amidst all the pain and craziness of this year, we are soooo blessed.
Hopefully the next 9 years will be in reducing some of the burden so we can spend time with the beautiful children we can share.
Raising a glass to the next 9 years (we will have a high schooler through elementary schooler then).
Cheers.
