Middle School Monday

I’ve finally got the office work under control so I can spend a few free minutes on WP. I swear, it truly is an addiction…I get withdrawal when I don’t get to visit my fellow blogger’s sites. I’m off to do that in a moment. But first….

Today was the first day of school for my two kids. This year they are both in middle school. One has his foot halfway out the door in 8th grade and my “baby” girl (she’d die if she knew I said that) is just starting out in sixth. We had an interesting first day — the usual Dockfam morning — not without drama. I don’t believe that either child slept last night as my young nocturnal offspring haven’t gotten out of bed prior to 2pm all summer break and they were both awake before we were this morning.

I’d been after my son for a week about packing his bags for school. He had football practice in the mornings, which is not something that he is used to as they practiced after school last year. Every time I would ask he would get impatient with me replying “Ok Ma, I got it…I know…I’ve been ready for like 2 weeks…ugh” (Say this out loud while rolling your eyes — you have just impersonated my kid) To which I would say “Ok son…I hope so.”. This morning there was panic as my husband ushered him out the door. I heard tons of noise in the other room and when I asked what the hell was going on, my husband said “Your son can’t find his lunch money….or his football cleats!”. AH HA! Mom was right again…I knew this would happen. After about 10 minutes both items in question surfaced and he got to school on time. When I get home from work he will be payed a visit from the “I told you so” fairy and I will get a good chuckle.

It was my task to take my daughter to school on my way to work. Because of the time my office opens, this puts her at school about an hour or so before 1st period. She had actually been excited about this “extra” socializing time. Up until today, my daughter has not seemed very phased by the fact that she is switching schools for the first time and will now be a little fish in a big pond. She’s been wearing the cool and carefree mask all summer long however today I saw the faintest glimmer of fear in those pretty brown eyes.

I made sure she got in ok and reminded her how to get to the cafeteria. I waited to leave until I was sure she wouldn’t come running back out. Then, about 10 minutes into my ride to work I realized I forgot to leave her with lunch money! Ugh. I turned around and went back. As I walked up to the cafeteria I looked in and saw where she was. As other groups of chattering boys and girls sat together enjoying each others company…my heart sank when I saw my little girl….my little social butterfly…sitting by herself at the long table just staring at the door waiting to see a familiar face. When the face that she saw, instead was mine…she grimaced, grabbed the money and whispered “I love you, now leave please”. Trying to play cool, but I could tell she was nervous as hell. Man, these years are hard.

As I write this they have 30 minutes left to their first day and I cannot wait to get home and hear all about it. Either they will still be excited and ready to talk about their first day or I will come home to two exhausted bodies passed out on their beds. For some reason I feel that I should more than likely expect the latter.