School's IN for the Season

Back to school.  

It always reminds me of the Staples commercial from a couple years back, where the parents and children and shopping for supplies, and the parents are thrilled, and the kids are not.  I know you remember it:

Just. So. Funny.

It took becoming a parent to fully grasp the hilarity of this commercial.

Well, today my oldest had her first day of fourth grade.  She is really looking forward to this year- the teacher we wanted and three of her closest friends in the same class with her- this is tween perfection at its best!

Best of all, her teacher believes in COMMUNICATION- something that we have found to be lacking in my daughter's school.  We are truly hoping for the "perfect" school year- good grades, a great teacher who will work with us and not against us, and as little teeny-bopper drama as possible.

Pipe dreams, you say?  Probably.  But still, any dream is better than none at all.

It's amazing how quiet a home gets when at least one of the children are at school.  Not that I am exhilarated to be minus one child during the day, but quietness is something that has been lacking in my home as of late.

So here's to you, my beautiful daughter, wishing you the best year ever.  My best year ever was third grade (Miss Heffron, you ROCK), and that didn't really happen for you last year, so here's to hoping that your time has come, and that some of your best school memories in the future come back around to the great teacher you have for fourth grade.

But please don't hate me if I celebrate the quietness that accompanies back to school for a little while.  It doesn't mean I don't love you; just that I also like some sibling rivalry-free hours, at least sometimes.

But if you do hate me anyway, go to your room and journal about it, or write an angsty poem or something.  Better yet, read a book about a girl with parents who don't care.  Just so it is something to help develop your literacy skills, I'm not picky, really.

Good luck to all the young ones with their fresh new start in another school year.  I will wave my magic Average wand, and give you all perfect years.  At least I will in my head.  That still counts, right?  And to all you Only Average Moms out there, who are relishing the quiet, perfect years for you too.  May you have no tearful homework nights and no last minute school projects worth half your child's grades that they forgot about until 10:30 the night before its due.

Do all parents react to back to school like in the above video?  Probably not.  But us Only Average ones do...at least for a week or two.  Especially if they don't admit it.

What Dreams May Come

So last night, I had a very odd dream.  

My daughter had spilled an entire container of Moon Sand on my baker's rack, and I had to clean it up.  You remember Moon Sand, don't you?

So I had to clean it up,and then sort out the sand. By color.  Because the kids would be mad if it was all mixed up.

Even in my dreams, I have to clean.  

If I ever go into psychotherapy, they will commit me for sure.



PS- I just played this video to make sure the link worked, and Becka said, "Hey, I like it!"  Hoping this dream isn't prophetic...I clean enough!

Just Plodding Along

Warning: today's post is not humorous at all.

A few weeks ago, I went to the doctors and had some blood work done.  The results came in, and I have a couple health problems that are not life threatening at this point, but I needed to make some lifestyle changes so that they will hopefully self correct.  One of these changes is that I must exercise for at least an hour a day.  

Now, since it's summer, I do tend to swim a lot, but apparently that isn't enough to make my body decide to do what it needs to do, so I do my best to run/powerwalk each night.

A couple of nights ago, it rained during my outing, and I didn't let it stop me.  I had to just keep going, putting one foot in front of the other, to get it done.  No matter how strong the rainstorm, or what was lying dead along side the road, I can't let it stop me.  Or I could die.  Sorry to be so dramatic.

While I was jogging, it dawned on me that this is how I approach life.  I just keep getting up every day, doing what needs to be done, filling the roles that no one else wants to have, and I don't let anything stop me.  Even when it breaks my spirit, what must be done gets done.  

That's what I get for being the "strong one."

Moodiness aside, I am thankful that I have the opportunity to stay home with my babies, and to serve my community in the small ways that I do.  I am thankful for all my friends and that I have two healthy and beautiful daughters because things could be much, much worse for me.

So off I go now, to just plod along, hoping for something to inspire me.  Maybe an above average mom could be cheerful all the time, but I am truly an Only Average Mom.