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Published August 20, 2008
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Back to Elementary School
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| By Jean Follmer |
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| Lizzy & Mac in their back to school shoes Photo Jean Follmer |
Where did our summer go? I feel like my kids just got out of school and now they’re heading back. We quickly fell into our daily swim practice schedule and our weekends were engulfed by swim meets. We took a great vacation only to return and immediately wrap up swim team and be left without our schedule. As I look ahead to the start of school, I’m saddened and a bit overwhelmed. Lizzy will be in the 2nd grade and Mac is heading off to kindergarten.
Having two moves under their belts, my kids are very adaptable. I know they’ll quickly adjust to the school routine and will be happy with it. But what about me? I’m going to miss them…yes; I’m one of those moms that cry when they go back to school. My volunteer commitments are already rearing their heads and reminding me that life is about to get busy again. Between writing and volunteering, I’m afraid I’m going to feel as though I had more time to “myself” during the summer while the kids were around. I’m not sensing that long-awaited pedicure is going to happen. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I like to be busy.
I’m a planner. Before school ended, I lined up my dental, hair and dermatology appointments for the first couple weeks of school. I set them up in the morning based on the (false) hope that Mac would be placed in morning kindergarten. Wrong! Mac got afternoon kindergarten, so he will accompany me to my morning appointments. So I have that going for me.
We’ve been going through closets, trying on clothes and boxing the too small ones for the cousins. Lizzy needs a new lunchbox. She asked for one that matches her backpack and I obliged. The matching lunchbox is on backorder from L.L. Bean until September 13. They both needed new tennis shoes and we were lucky enough to quickly find shoes that both fit and were the ones they wanted. I received the registration packets in the mail and I still need to fill out the (many) forms. I was thrilled to see that school supplies will be waiting on their desks on the first day of school! This year I won’t have to make the mad dash to Target and hear about who has smelly markers and who has the 64-pack crayon box with the sharpener…hats off Springhill! They’re already signed up for fall activities so we’re as ready as we’re going to be.
Before summer ends, I still hope to get to the rest of the things I’d promised myself I’d do with the kids. We’ve already been to the Oakland Zoo, the Lawrence Hall of Science, the Lafayette Criterium, Six Flags & Discovery Kingdom, the NASCAR time trials at Infineon, numerous hikes and two vacations. I’m still hoping to get to the Chihuly exhibit at the de Young, the beach and start teaching Lizzy to play the flute. With the swimming season over, we may be able to do them. On the other hand, maybe we’ll call it quits and relax in the backyard for a change. |
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA