Yesterday was officially the last day of summer for us. It was the eve of a new school year, so we spent the day getting everyone ready. We started the day with a trip to the eye doctor for Siah which required a new pair of glasses. Next, we shopped for last minute school supplies. Josiah had one last game of football in the yard with neighborhood friends. We made sure everyone had nice new haircuts to start the year (even Bennett)...
...and then we prepared the boys' favorite summer meal for supper (dad's grilled burgers, mom's homemade potato chips from potatoes from our garden, cucumbers from our garden and fresh sweet corn).
After supper we played a rowdy game of Don't Wake Daddy...
...and then we said goodnight to the kids and they said goodnight to us and to the cat! Poor cat!
When Ken and I finally crawled into bed, I was exhausted! It dawned on me, "What would he do if I wasn't around? How would he ever be able to get the kids ready for school." I had searched sales for weeks trying to get everything on the kids lists without going broke. (I'm still not sure why in the world we needed 15 spiral notebooks?) I'd gone through drawers and closets to make sure each child had proper clothes to wear. I'd written names on folders, pencils, markers, gluesticks, scissors, rulers, etc... I'd searched for white shirts for gym and blue shirts for gym and gym shoes for gym and art shirts for - art! I'm out of my mind! It's a full-time job.
I did not sleep well wondering:
- if I got each child's supplies in the correct backpack
- if I told Ellis and Aidan not to wait for Josiah to come get them after school (he's not at their school anymore)
- if I told Josiah where I would pick him up
- if Josiah would be able to get his locker open
- if I had gone over his new Middle School schedule enough for him
- if he would remember his locker number, lock combination, lunch code and homeroom location
- if Aidan would be able to get his gym shoes tied
- if Ellis would find someone to play with at recess since he and Aidan aren't in the same class this year
- if I remembered to tell them their lunch money was in their folders
- if Josiah would do ok with all those 7th and 8th graders around him
- if I've taught them enough to be responsible 2nd and 6th graders
- if Bennett was upstairs freezing because I may have left his window open and it was 45 degrees outside
- if I would oversleep and make everyone late for their first day...
I think next year I'll let Ken do the back to school prep. Maybe then I could be the one sleeping peacefully!!!!
