Back To School Dance!

For just a moment, I'm going to do a happy dance. Who are we kidding? I do a happy dance just about every day. But today, my very uncoordinated thumpy feet wailing sporadically is devoted to the fact that the kids go back to school. I like my kids and I have a lot of fun with them. And I really hate telling them, "Mommy's writing about her feelings hold on a minute." So, I don't. I simply don't write, work, talk on the phone, and I try not to Facebook when the kids are around either. Okay, let's be real, sometimes I end up on the phone. And I did reserve Mondays this year for "Mommy has to work a little bit today."

But this summer, I've really tried to pay attention to my kids. It seems I'm fairly good at finding distractions though. Or there's just that much stuff to get done. You know, menial stuff that only the health department looks at like dirty dishes overflowing out of the sink on to the counter. If the dishes block my coffee pot, the wrath of mommy could very well impact their entire day. Other silly things include laundry, showers, vacuuming 6" of dog hair off the floor, cooking, grocery shopping, camps, chauffeuring, picking up Farley the Wonderdog's land mines, mowing the weeds, and on occasion picking up the obstacle course mainly known as shoes around here. As I type, there are three pairs of shoes peppered throughout the living room. Just for fun, on my path to the coffee pot - that's the room next to the living room, I counted 4 more pairs of shoes. I hate to see what the path to their closets looks like, so I don't look.

Still, with all of that stuff to do, I really feel like my efforts this summer were effective. I listened to my kids a little better. I laughed with them a lot. And my kids responded to it well. Max and Lucy are on to me though. They are just as ready to get away from Mom who's "been unusually up in our bidnez a little more this year." And Lucy especially, let me hold her hand. A luxury, I'm learning, that won't last forever.

Today my babies go back to school. Third Graders. They will learn cursive, and division and multiplication this year. And that's just in the classroom. I shudder to think of what they'll learn on the playground.

Most moms about this time, are really ready to send their kids back to school. They slow down to 15 mph in the school parking lot throw their backpacks out and tell them to have a nice day. I get it. But this year, I'm really going to miss hanging out with them. I'm looking forward to being a bit more on top of work and writing, but I'll miss them too. They are my favorite distraction of all.

We walked the kids to school today, and as we crossed the street, I reached for Lucy's hand one more time. She obliged and we held hands and talked about how much fun school was going to be. Then all of the kids in all of the lines started to come into view. And that's when Lucy tried to drop my hand. I gave her one last squeeze.

"Mom, not in front of my friends." Suggesting that she'll still hold my hand at other points.

"Okay, baby."

And they ran off into the sea of anticipation and hope for all things new this year. And I ran back home to get some work done.

That's how I roll.
Song of the Day: Leaky Little Boat - Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers