The girls set off for school this morning under gray rumbling skies.
First Grace, driving a car with a big smile because she came right home from China and got her drivers' license lickety-split (yes, a lot happens a in a couple days!).
Then Claire rode off on her bike with fifteen other girls (and I'm not exaggerating on that number) after they requested some pictures from me (which I will have to post soon).
And then Lucy and I rode the tandem bike together to the elementary school. And I was so torn between staying with her, like I have every year, until that first bell rang. But I decided to refrain and let my fifth grader go in and do her thing without her mother.
I came home and raced to a workout class with Dave, Elle and her friend (we'll all be sore tomorrow) and wondered how in the world it has come to this: First of all that summer is OVER. And second of all that my children are all growing up so fast.
I just don't think life is supposed to be so fast and furious.
We went to check out the class lists at the elementary school on Friday (they always post them that last weekend). Lucy was over-the-moon to get a pretty awesome teacher AND have some great friends in her class for this coming year. (She didn't realize, but her mother was a hundred times more excited about that little fact. How I have been praying for a great situation for her this year as things continue to change so much with her.)
Then on Monday Lucy counted down the hours until meet-the-teacher night. We walked through that school together that night, her with determination to get to every one of her older teachers to give them a hug after a glowing meeting with her new one, and me wondering how I became the oldest mother in all the land. So many new mothers with strollers and toddlers clinging to their legs trying to get to all their kids' classrooms one after another. And me, trying to keep up with my one remaining elementary school child.
I swear I was just barely one of those young mothers a second ago. Four girls in that school trying to pull me in every direction, and a boy with glasses so covered in fingerprints I wondered how he could possibly see trying to maneuver seventh grade at the junior high.
And now I find myself here with THREE drivers, two college kids (Max still counts), and a missionary. And it is awesome. Never did I realize in my wildest dreams how much I would adore teenagers and big kids and watching them become.
But boy, sometimes I miss those littles.
As I scrolled through Instagram this morning my feed was spilling out with back-to-school pictures and i didn't know whether to laugh and celebrate that we are getting back to structure or be bitter that school is ending all the freedom.
But as my sister always says, "enjoy it because it's happening."
So I am.
Claire just walked in for our traditional "cookie chat"...can't wait to hear all about that big first day!