I Can't Believe It's That Time Again

There is a buzz going around from the kiddos in the neighborhood, and I believe it's about going back to school.  I'm seeing Facebook posts, I've experienced the onslaught of shoppers in the local Wal-mart, and I'm noticing an increase of activity at the college down the street from us.

Yup, it's back to school time again, and I am so confused.  I really thought Summer was just getting started, and I'm not ready yet to see the changing of the leaves, as much as I do love that.  It just can't be time yet to be seeing all those mums at the grocery store, yet there they are.

I've learned over the years, too, that it's no small deal to get your young ones ready for the first day of school.  Having raised four children of my own, I know quite well the work and potential expense involved.

I was reminded of all of this again yesterday, when I went and had lunch with daughter Rachel and granddaughters Tori and Brianna.  They were so excited and were anticipating today being their first day of second grade, and the first day in a new school to boot.  They moved into a new home just last Thursday.

They proudly showed me their new sneakers, purchased the evening before, for school use only, they told me.  Brianna notified me that hers are size 6.  Women's size 6.  I notified her that we may need to start calling her Bigfoot, or Sasquatch.  I was made aware that they had special outfits in mind for the first day, too.

Parents nowadays need to find backpacks, lunch boxes and lunch box fixings, school supplies, gym clothes, school snacks and other miscellaneous supplies for their child.  And, if there is more than one child, the task can seem not only daunting, but expensive, too.

Almost more exhausting for me during those years was all the paperwork that came home from school that first night, needing me to fill it out and return it the next morning.  Mom's homework, I called it.

So then, we will be anxiously looking forward to hearing all the reports from the grandkids relative to the start of their new school year.

Ellie and Jarrod

Jarrod, who is nearly fifteen (how did that happen?) starts high school this year.  He's signed up for some pretty heavy duty advanced classes, but then he's schmart, so why not?

Ellie, Jarrod's little sister, returns to her preschool class, where I'm keeping tabs on an ugly report of her being bullied.  How does bullying happen among two year olds?

I don't get that, but the other day Ellie was pushed down a slide/climbing type toy by one of the little guys in her group.  She was sent home with a cut lip and a bruised eye.  Geez.  School should be a safe place for a two year old.

Brianna and Tori

This morning I received the report that the sendoff for twins Tori and Brianna had gone without a hitch.

Although they usually like to wear matching outfits in different colors, they decided that today, for the first day of school, they would dress differently.  They wanted their new teacher to be easily able to tell them apart.  For kindergarten and first grade, they were in different classes; this year they will be together.

Here's to a great year, kids - a year filled with new friends, plenty of special experiences, and lots of learning.

Just let me know if you need any help with the trigonometry.