The Summer's End

It is incredibly hard for me to believe that school will be in session in a matter of two weeks. With school supplies almost totally purchased and waiting in a sack on the table, two new backpacks, two new lunchboxes, two new pairs of tennis shoes, and two of my children gearing up to enter the land of learning, my head is beginning to spin.

School starting up always brings mixed feelings of excitement and sadness. The sadness part is fairly obvious. The days sleeping in, running here and there together, and playing in the water are coming to an end. They will be replaced with the early morning rush and a fairly lonely drive home for me with just my toddler taking up a seat in our van that is typically much more full with children.

The excitement, thankfully, overtakes the sadness. Both of my children are anxiously awaiting meeting their new teachers and making new friends in the upcoming days. Madison is old enough now to understand that school will not always be full of fun, and when asked, "Are you ready for school to start?" she answers, "Yes and no."

We found out that she will be having Mrs. Hunter for her second grade teacher and I have heard great things about her. Madison is more excited now that some of her older friends have told her what a nice lady her teacher is. We also read off the class list to her and she squealed with excitement hearing several of her friends' names. It sounds like this will be a great year for my little second grader!

Carter will be going to school for the first time. His special request for a "spider man backpack and blue lunchbox" has been filled and we are all anxiously awaiting our meeting night at the preschool to find out who his teacher will be and meet some of the children in his class. He is going to love the hustle and bustle of school. His need for constant entertainment will be more than met, and I know his thirst for learning will only grow. Having other boys his age to play with on the playground will prove to be priceless. Having something that is just for him, that doesn't involve his big sister or baby brother, is an experience I know he is going to benefit from greatly. Being the middle child, I am excited for him to enter into a land that is all his own. I cannot wait for him to excitedly show me all of the neat things he has created and learned each day when I pick him up.

My days will be filled with my little man. Samuel will reap the rewards, just as the other two children before him have, of having complete one-on-one time with Mommy during the day. When he takes his 2/3 hour long afternoon nap, I will work. I will possibly write more creative and more informative articles than ever before with a quiet house to think in. My house will once again be neat and orderly. I will have time to bake something yummy before leaving to pick up my big kids from school, so that when we walk into the front door they will be thrilled to rush to the kitchen to see what goody awaits them.

Our loved after-school activities will resume. Madison is finding it hard to patiently wait for dance class to resume and we will be adding a children's small group through church on Sunday nights. Clayton and I are part of the lead team for this.. so we will get to spend lots of fun and meaningful time with not only our children, but also the other children of our church.

It is always hard for me to say goodbye to each summer that turns into fall, but I find solace in looking ahead to the fun that is coming.