Friday, September 9, 2011

When the Mice are Away, the Cat will Play

Summer has been fun, and for the most part, successful.  All of my kids, sans Lucy and Sawyer, went back to school this week.  Next week, Sawyer will start preschool a few times a week.  I felt a huge heart pang the first day as I watched them walk up to the bus or to school, thinking about how kids growing older is both thrilling and ever-so-sad.  But then, I immediately started mentally listing all the things to do that are easier with only a portable baby around.  Woo-hoo!


I felt a bit guilty about my feelings of happy relief that the kids are back in school when we had family prayers that night, though.  Sophie, our sweet 9-year-old, was saying the prayer.  She was asking for help or blessings for each family member in turn (i.e. "Help Damon to do well at his new school, help Brendan to do a good job in high school," etc.).  The last people she mentioned were Lucy and me.  She said, "Help Mom and Lucy to not miss us too much while we are all gone to school this year."  I had to stifle a little chuckle.  I think I will manage ;).

How about you?  Does back to school bring tears....or tears of relief :)?  Or both?




Weekend Bloggy Reading

7 comments:

  1. I feel EXACTLY the same. Very mixed feelings about mine going off to school again. The house is terribly quiet, which , to begin with, is rather disconcerting....until I realise i FEEL VERY CALM AND RELAXED ....AND THEN i'M FINE!!  (OOPS, CAPS ON!)

    I LOVE that prayer. How cute and funny!

    Sarahx

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  2. Love Sophie's prayer. So many levels of cute and funny. :) Now that you have more time (Ok, maybe not *more* time, just ...easier? time) on your hands, we should do lunch sometime! Or shopping. Or both.

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  3. You wrote the thoughts streaming from my head!  I'm both... but now that we are 2 weeks in, I'm thrilled.  My daughter loves school and I love the concept of free time :)

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  4. This made me giggle!  I know that my children think I count the painful moments until their return!  Last year, my son stayed home sick and at the end of the day, said "Wow, Mom, you were sooo busy!"....yeah, ya think?
    Thanks for popping by my place!
    Kerry at housetalkn.blogspot.com

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  5. That is so sweet. I don't know how you do it with 6 - two have my hands full! Enjoy your new found time :)

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  6. Oh, that is so cute! I waffle between guilt that I have a couple of hours of free time and just enjoying it. ;) Thanks for the visit today!

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  7. I have to say, it's not going back to school that makes me sad the kids are growing up, it hits me when they lose teeth!  Grace looks like a jack o'lantern right now!  I'm loving the free time, but I don't know if I'm really using it as wisely as I should....

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Please feel free to comment. I love to read what other people think!