Back to School

It's about the last week of August when John and I start singing "It's the MOST wonderful time of the year".   The kids are restless and fighting....I'm royally sick of dealing with restless, fighting children.  And then the awaited day comes when they go back to school and I'm always surprised at how sad I am to see them go and how much I miss them during the day.  Derek started high school this year.  He was less than thrilled when I stood by the door with the camera the first day of school for the ritual picture.  He was more compliant when I told him I would chase him down the street in my pj's until I got a picture.  Christian started 4th grade. He's nearing the top of the food chain for elementary school and informed me that it was really important that he have "cool" clothes this year (at the same time he broke it to me that I didn't know what "cool" was...ouch!!).   Emma started Kindergarten.   She loves her teacher, Ms. Burt and has a couple of good friends in her class.  They all hugged each other and held hands and giggled when they got their class assignment (girls!)   Megan starts another year at Homelink. We are doing a parent taught Home Economics class this year in which I am going to teach her how to sew (mom...I know you're laughing as you read this).    This should be interesting.    My little Brett started preschool.  I'm a little unsettled by this, especially since he is SO anxious to leave me.   I took him for his orientation and as all the other kids are clinging to their mothers legs he was screaming at me to leave him alone and that he didn't want to go home.  I'm guessing this means an end to my calling him "baby", too.  

SO... now I get to channel all that nurturing into our new puppy "Lucy" (the name at the moment - thanks Mindy!)  We went out to see her today.  She is 5 1/2 weeks old and is growing at an alarming rate!  Three weeks and counting until the house is destroyed!