Just So I Don't Ever Forget

I wanted to jot down some things about this past week before they get lost forever in the muddled mess that's my mind recently.

Blogs are pretty handy that way.

 Last Tuesday was the first day of school.

My mind was racing, but not so much with the usual thoughts. More like, Howintheworld am I going to get everyone everywhere on time?

Here was our day:

4:45 Shower, make lunches, get waffle batter ready. Oh, and read the 2nd Hunger Games novel...awesome!

6:35 Either traipse through Isabelle's room or walk outside to get to the other part of the house to go get Caleb...surprise! Caleb was up and dressed on his own and waiting for waffles by 6:18.

6:40 Breakfast. Round One.

Normally, Isabelle would be getting ready at the same time. About two weeks ago, we found out that our town has changed the way they "do" Kindergarten.

Since Caleb was in K 4 years ago, this was news to me.

7:00 Breakfast. Round Two.

7:10 Drive Caleb to school (it's 5 minutes extra to and fro in this house); plus, with the addition of a brand new elementary school for K-2, the traffic was every which way. 

7:23 Arrive at school

7:29 Finally find place to park

7:40 Still waiting for Caleb's teacher to come outside and form The Line

Let's not forget about the rain. Buckets of it. We are completely drenched.

Somehow this was not the image I'd conjured up about the glorious first day of school.

7:50 Make it to car but am stranded until what seems like the entire town has driven through the parking lot.

8:02 Back home. Decide to wake Isabelle since we'll have to do this for real soon enough. She eats and I do her hair...

8:17 My heart stops when I realize it is a full 10 minutes past leaving for school with Jonah. His first day in a new school! And he's already so nervous, and I know I just made him late! Already fighting tears, but trying to keep them to myself as I sing-song to him that we need to go. Now.

8:19 (It takes J forever and a day to tie his shoes. Go figure.) My seat belt isn't working. As in, won't pull out enough to latch. Mild irritation quickly leaps to hot rage. I have to go, I can't keep fiddling with this seat belt. I have a teensy meltdown of my own. Go me. Pretty instantly, I apologize and assure my nervous little boy that it's all going to be fine, no matter what, and I admitted to him that it was completely my fault for the late start. I felt truly awful. He was counting on me and I know I let him down. 

He returned my smile and set the world right again. He has a good heart.

8:29 Arrive. Thinking good thoughts until I see that the outside of the school looks deserted. I instantly wonder if I've messed up the date. We park, get soaked all over again. No one in sight. My heart is pounding. Three wild good chases later, we finally find his class. Thank you Adults #1, 2 & 3 for looking official and knowledgeable but sending us in all the wrong directions. (If you don't really know, then don't act like you do, in my humble ol' opinion.) I was really fighting tears now, and my heart sank when Jonah had to walk into an already-seated around tables room full of students and teachers. Who would enjoy that situation, whether you're shy or not!

8:55 Across town and back at home again

9:05 Bring Isabelle into school for her Meet and Greet in her classroom

 Now I'd been giving Isabelle prep talks because her first day would last a whopping 15 minutes. Not even kidding. We were given blocked schedules. 15 minutes.

That was her first official day of Kindergarten.

The prep talks were because I was scared to death she would have a meltdown when it was time to leave.

She wants to be in Kindergarten sooooo badly.

She kept asking when I was going to leave her there by herself, ha!

And the next day?

In order to make the transition smoother, or something like that, half the children attend.

Isabelle's half went Thursday.

It all seems very silly to me, but at least we got in a play date at one of our best friends to ease the pain.

Thursday was a big hit! 

Anyhoo.

My Mom, Mimi, had asked about picking up Jonah, since his half day ended at 11:30.

And Ethan's began at 12:30.

11:05 We planned to meet up at McDonald's for lunch to kill time. I realize I spent all that time making lunches for nothing.

Oh well. Caleb needed his and said his bagel sandwich was awesome!

And Jonah said he had a great morning!

The rain stopped too.

12:12 Say goodbye to Mimi. Drive us all over to school, park the car, and walk with Ethan to meet his new teacher. Only Ethan is walking faster and faster, and soon is with a group of friends with his back turned to me. Fine. I coaxed Isabelle to yell out sweet nothings at him in front of everyone as we walked back to the car. He smiled and his cheeks turned red. Mission accomplished. =)

12:30 Back at home for the third time today. We talk all about school and play games.

2:10 Time to go pick up Caleb. I'm really excited to hear about his day, and he loved every minute of it. Except the sitting parts. Huh? I laughed. That boy doesn't like to sit still, that's for sure!

2:48 Fourth time pulling into the driveway. Snack time. Peanut butter on graham crackers with chocolate chips sprinkled on top. A favorite.

3:50 Bill comes home with Ethan, who had a good day.

I left out something, because somewhere along the way, I made an early dinner- Ethan had soccer try-outs at 5, so he had to eat by 4:10. Ugh.

I'm really going to have to plan meals this year, and stick with it- our schedules are already crazy!

Ethan and Bill returned around 7. Then Ethan handed me a stack of papers. Which, he informed me, were due the next day. Um, that stack is sitting right here beside me on the desk. Whoops! Isabelle has a picture page to make, and the others have things too...so much for a day off!  =)

After reading through that day, I have a little more grace with myself for not getting the pictures I wanted that morning. The sheets of rain didn't help, but we got some cute shots later on when the sun peed through. There were also a couple dog walks and house things I didn't write about- it all takes time!

So...Happy Labor Day!

This holiday always coincides with our anniversary, so we always get a day off.

I would tell you how smart I am to have planned it that way, but...my older cousin was getting married for the first time that same year and I wanted to give my family a couple of weeks to recover before they went through another big wedding.

I don't think we realized until a few years in, when we kept getting 'Anniversary' days off work, ha ha!

Oh, by the way, the seat belt finally cooperated about 5 minutes in. Whew!