Yes, the children are off to school.
New shoes, new backpacks, new bus drivers, new classrooms, new friends, new teachers - tremendously exciting for everyone. Except Bunny, who sits on the stairs as she did last year, slightly pining. Or maybe that's me.
What a summer we've had. Packed till the very last day. Yesterday, we went swimming at the water park and stayed till they blew the whistle to close the season for the year. Nothing like hanging on to the very last seconds to show how much we've loved being in the water.
But while the holidays are over, we get to enjoy the weather for at least a couple more weeks. And the kids are jumping into a new routine of after-school sports now that term has begun again: swimming (of course) and ice-skating. They'll think they're still on vacation (if not for the homework). We can hardly wait!
And I have about 30 errands to run and jobs to do. I've been making lists since last week, because I've put work on hold for 3 months to enjoy being with the girls. Now it's caught up with me and there are dolls and toys to sew, bags to document and blog about, costumes to draft, people to call, stories to write, and food to cook. And lap swims begin again at the indoor pool, as do the cool-weather 5Ks and 10Ks so I must put away the bikinis and dust off the racing suits and swimming caps and running shoes.
But first, I'm giving myself an hour to marvel at the unnatural stillness in the house, and pray for the kids and give hugs -and baths -to all the suddenly-companionless stuffed animals. If only they'd hug back - I already miss the little voices and busy feet and dancing.
This is just the First Day of School. Tomorrow, it will feel like we've always woken up at 7 am (instead of 9) and I'm always packing lunches (instead of eating them with children) and the house is always exactly the way I left it 5 minutes before. How quickly we find our new normal.