Meet The Teacher Day and the Back to School Blues.

  Lunches are packed. Uniforms are pressed. Their backpacks are hanging up in the kitchen. I think we're finally ready for tomorrow. Physically. Emotionally? Not so much. We've had a wonderful summer of letting each day take us where it wanted to. It's been a stay in your pjs until nine kind of summer. It's been an ice cream before supper kind of summer. Now it's over. Sure there were days when I thought about calling the principal and seeing if she'd open up school just for my kids, but those days were rare. We really just loved being together and it's going to be hard to get back into the routine of getting up early, doing homework, and living for those weekends.
   It helps that the girls are super excited about school this year. Grace has finally arrived at kindergarten and she burst through the doors of school this morning like a little hurricane. She met her teacher and got to put her supplies in her desk. I think she squealed at least one hundred times. She's going to be a teacher's dream. She's very compliant, loves to help, and gets excited by everything. However, I've got money riding on tears this year. Heck, I've got money riding on tears tomorrow! She gets weepy saying goodbye to me and the first sign of discipline, the water works are going to flow. God bless her tender heart, though. It's one of the things I love most about her. My prayer for Grace is that she'll stand on her own with confidence, realizing that she doesn't have to please everyone. She just has to be Grace Perry.



Molly starts second grade tomorrow and she is very excited about the content this year. She gets to study rocks and minerals and she's a regular gemologist. We have books on the subject! She has a rock collection. She loves science, math, and history (what????) and tolerates reading (I need my heart meds). She's Brent Cobb shrunken down with bigger hair. Teachers love her exuberance. Her eyes dance at new concepts, but she's a head-strong little thing. My prayer for this year is that her heart will yield a little and that she'll accept my help, and my guidance. Both of us not crying during homework would be a plus too. Believe it or not, at seven, she does not know everything.

I'm excited about a new year too. I love the girls' teachers and it seems like they both have really sweet classmates. I always have lofty goals for the school year. Here are just a few.
1. I will NOT peel through the school parking lot at 7:55am and throw Molly and Grace at the front door.
2. I will only wear my "dress sweats" once a week.
3. I will pack the girls a healthy, nutritious snack .....sometimes. Are Swiss Cake Rolls nutritious?
4. Breakfast will be eaten at the table and not in the back of the mini-van.
5. I will read every school email and not claim that my "internet was down" when it's an email that asks me to do something.
6. I will not harbor ill thoughts towards the moms that volunteer for everything, bake their teachers fresh goodies, and scrapbook the entire school year.
7. I will not stab my eyes out with a pencil (no. 2 ofcourse) during homework time.
8. I will not roll my eyes when people see the girls in uniform and ask if we go to a Catholic school.
9. I will appear smarter than my children.
10.  I will remember that I am 33 and Molly is 7--not the other way around.

These are good goals, don't you think? I do have serious goals too like memorizing scripture with the children and praying for them more regularly throughout the day. I want to have more patience with them when doing homework. I need to remember G-R-A-C-E.  I receive it. I need to extend more of it.
  I'll be sure to post pictures tomorrow of the big first day. I know grandparents will be logging on if no one else :) Kiss your little ones tonight as you tuck them in bed. Thank God for His mercies and for fresh beginnings each day. Pray for your child's teacher. Sleep well knowing that our efforts are naught and He is everything.