Belated First Day of School Post

It seems I'm feelin' the need for something light and happy.  My last few posts have been so serious.  Important, yes, but sometimes I just like to break it up a little bit with some glimpses at the Happy in our life.

I've mentioned that last week was Back to School for us.  It's so funny how much I HATE Back to School, while LOVING it at the same time.  It's not the getting-rid-of-the-kids part that I love.  Let's face it...I'm a neurotic, grabby-grabby mom.  I love them at home.  And quite honestly, I never have all five out of the house at the same time...someone is always home, distracting needing me, and I love it.

No, what I like about Back to School the most, is a return to routine.  I'm so duel-personality, on this topic, vacillating between the love for spontaneity, and the need for structure.  Summer feeds my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants self.  I work it like a pro.  Dinner at 8:00?  9:00?  Why not?  It's summer.  We're out playing until 7:00, anyway.  And 9:00 Baskin Robbins runs?  The norm, every Tuesday, at least.

Anticipating the return to the school year brings no small amount of angst.  It's probably the war between my two sides.  I throw myself into summer, never wanting it to end...never wanting my "fun" side to end.  And as that end approaches, I get all freaky inside.  I see the beginnings of Back to School displays at stores, and in ads.  The commercials start.  Then, there's the blasted calendar...August.  I see that we only have 4 weeks of summer left.  Then 3.  Then 2.  But, somewhere between two-more-weeks, and then one, something seriously starts to shift deep inside me.  I start to imagine an 8:30 bedtime for the little guy.  I start thinking about my levels of productivity, with a 6:00 alarm clock starting my day.  And then, without pomp or circumstance, I graduate out of my Play Mode, and I start tapping into my structured side.  I make plans to create a new calendar.  I organize the files for the new school year.  And then, Bam!  I'm back.  Out with the fun, and in with the schedule.  And I find that it's a new brand of fun.

Tessa and Danielle have great schedules.  They are both motivated and so cute and collegiate.  Danielle's major is Psychology.  Tessa is still undeclared, but is meeting with her counselor to see about Astro-Physics (is that even how you spell it?), or Astronomy.

I took pictures of Tessa and Danielle, but they aren't loading.  And I'm too impatient to keep trying.  Just imagine them looking cute and standing in their school parking lot.

Insert mental image here.

Adam is darling too.  He is so focused.  His school is an independent study work structure, and not only has he made up his entire freshman year (crisis got in the way of him wanting to try that year), but he will graduate on time next spring.  I am so proud of him.  Though August 29 wasn't his first day of school, so no pic.  :)

The other two, however..they're both like Lucy trying to get in Ricky's show.  They are always happy to have their picture posted!

Abi is in the 8th grade, and Lee is in the 1st grade.  Lee looks so not-awake yet!  We started getting up early the week before school started, and he did get up well, but the picture says a lot here.  Note his red Converse like Papi's.  And Abi's purple bag.  And the shorts.  Sigh.  The shorts worn by 80% of girls on her campus.  She's rocking her new flats, too, but you can't see them in the grass.  Oh.  Ignore the dead spot in the grass.  Still having sprinkler problems, and the gardener is pulling his hair out.  Do note, however, the leaning palm tree-bush thingie.  Interesting.  Anyone want to help us tear it out?

I had a picture of Hugo driving away with Abi...another sweet shot that won't load either.  :(

But this one worked, and I'm so happy.  It's of Lee getting his morning ritual with Papi.  Melts my heart.

Happy stuff.  Lee and Abi have great teachers.  Two of Lee's best friends moved to different schools, so he is a little bit lost, but not too badly.  Abi has all of her best friends, so the energy level has been high.

Tonight is the first PTA meeting of the new school year.  But I have to leave 45 minutes into the meeting to take Abi to church, and then pick up Danielle from school.  Tessa has class until after 10:00.  Run, run, run!!  (And loving every minute of it!)