Why I love fall...

...as opposed to considering springtime a beginning.

Yesterday was the first day of school. For the first time in 26 years, I forgot the camera.

That would be because, I'm tired. I think everyone is born with a certain number of First School Days in them and...I used mine up about 12 years ago. I'm running on First Day With No Kids At Home age-frame and...there are still two kids here.

Ooops!


Think about this...I have a done a "first day of school" every year for 26 years. Twenty. Six. Years. Twenty-six-years. TwentySixYears. Every year. For twenty-six years.

The Big Kid will be 29 in November, The Nice Kid is 14 and The Not Nice Kid is nine. I stood there Monday morning and there they all were. The happy nervous moms and dads with their WalMart bags full of kleenex and clorox wipes. The kids in their clean new uniforms (except for the true Catholics, who...if you're the fourth kid?...that logo is just about bleached RIGHT off that uniform shirt.) And then...me. Scrooge. Grumpy. The Grinch.

There I stood, waiting on my Christmas spirit or something similar, to kick in so I could get all excited and...it's just not there. I have about a week before the first PTO meeting and everyone starts wanting something...cakes, time, bingo prizes, gift wrap orders. I'm betting MONEY I get a hand-out this afternoon with a t-shirt order form in it. Do you have any IDEA how many t-shirts come through this house on a monthly basis?

But then...they get in the car in the afternoon and life is SO good. The Nice Kid spent her day rescuing scared newcomers...it comes natural to her. She washed her locker combination in her jeans pocket the night before school started and had to carry her books around all day. (Yes, they refused to give her the combination in the office...told her she didn't need it on the first day. I'm choosing my battles.) She wore a bright red shirt and shiny red leather shoes and hugged everyone in sight.

The Not Nice Kid didn't pull a card. (We take it where we can get it.) She LOVES Mz Watkins. She alphabetized her spelling words. Lunch was fun. They have to walk single file to recess.

Oh, y'all. Remember when life was so good? Remember when everything was new and exciting and you were safe and your mama took care of everything?

To hell with the economy and health care and philandering governors and potholes. In the real world? There's a LOT to smile about. And I've been smiling all day. :)

Comments

Country Girl said…
A funny...three of us "been here" parents stood outside and wondered why the HELL they didn't open the doors early so we could unload all this stuff. And then we all agreed...first day. We WILL keep our mouths shut AT LEAST until tomorrow!
Melissa said…
I see the fall as the beginning, too, for pretty much the same reason. It's always such a good day for everyone. Especially me, since I always make it a spa day. :)