The End of an Era

Today was the first day of school.

It was a crazy morning, as I knew it would be.

I did have high hopes of what I would get accomplished today, but everything went wrong.

I meant to make pancakes for their special day, but we ran short on time and had toast and oatmeal.

I meant to get to the school by 8:30am, but we got there at 8:45.  School did not start until 8:55, but I wanted to help them into their classes with plenty of time.

Here they are walking into school. 

Sweet Pea was a little nervous about going all day, but Daisy Mae was just fine.  Not a bit worried.

She shoots guns, you know.

And hikes miles over treacherous terrains wearing only cheap flip-flops.

She can handle kindergarten.

That is how Sweet Pea looked as I left her in her classroom (she is seated wearing a white/light pink shirt).

She looked teary when I was leaving, but she smiled and said I could go.

So, Daisy Mae and I, along with the boys went off to find her classroom.

I went back to the familiar kindergarten wing where Sweet Pea was last year, but Daisy Mae's room was nowhere to be found.

A kind teacher helped us find her room . . . all the way in the 4th and 5th graders wing! 

Yikes!  Big kids!

Here she is sitting at her table, putting her nametag on.

She smiled with her big dimples and waved goodbye to me when it was time for me to go.

I felt a big need to make today special.  I know the first day of school is exciting and overwhelming.  The boys and I went to the store to get some groceries.  I picked up some special Hello Kitty pencils and a new pencil sharpener for our house.  Before I knew it, it was already time to get Daisy Mae.

She had a great day and loves kindergarten.

I asked her if she had recess.

"No.  Teacher said we just do that on weekends."

We headed home and had lunch.  The boys went down for a nap, so it was just me and Daisy Mae.

This is where my perfect plan for Daisy Mae being in afternoon kindergarten would have came in handy.

Can you imagine?  Complete silence for 2 hours!!

But, alas.  It was not meant to be.

Daisy Mae and I decided to make banana bread to share with Sweet Pea as a special after school snack.

We made a two loaves so we could freeze one.

I also made 3 pans of meatloaf, 1 for tonight and 2 to freeze.

Before we left to pick up Sweet Pea, I snuck a slice of banana bread-disgusting!

I figured out what I did wrong-I was emptying out my containers from the camp trailer and must have thought the salt was sugar.

I had to throw all that precious banana bread away.

And no special first day of school snack.

Sweet Pea was happy and chatty when we picked her up.  She had a great day.  I asked her if she liked her teacher.

"Yes.  But she is SERIOUS."

Sweet Pea informed me 12 times that she had 3 recesses and had a cheeseburger deluxe with chocolate milk for lunch.

"Chocolate milk makes you have strong bones, Mom.  My new friend said."

2 minutes later, the girls were weeping and wailing and fighting.

I knew this would happen:exhaustion.

They were upset because neither of them had time to color the other one a picture.

Seriously.

We had to hyperventilate over that?

The Lumberjack was working late, but I really wanted to make tonight special for the girls.  So I made a big dinner and a dessert.

Dare I say I made a peach crisp.

Remember the peach pie incident (http://wp.me/pCp3l-7q)?

As I was peeling the fresh peaches (for the first time since the incident), I knew I was making a mistake.

Fresh peaches+dessert+Taylor having high expectations=Impending doom

The Lumberjack came home.  I was exhausted from all my overachieving and child-chasing.  He rushed through dinner and went out to work on his truck.

Which normally would not have been a big deal.

But I PEELED FRESH PEACHES for a dessert to celebrate the girls' first day of school.

Finally at 7:45 when the Lumberjack was still being a mechanic, I looked at the girls and said dessert was cancelled.

They said, "ok" and brushed their teeth.

Apparently no one cares if I made a dessert containing peaches.

I so wanted to make today special. 

I think I failed.

But there is always tomorrow.

And we can have peach crisp as a special after school snack.

The girls did not have any high expectations for their first day.

That was just me.

I think I just cannot believe a chapter in our lives has ended.

I still see them as my little girls. 

My babies.

I still feel like a new mom.

It does not seem like all that long ago that I was hauling those two girls all around. . .

Sort of like I haul these two dudes all around town.

And I think what makes me the most sad is to think of the day when I take Handsome to first grade and Little Dude to kindergarten.

Because even though these are "The Miserable Years (http://wp.me/pCp3l-t)," part of me does not want them to end.

But they did end today for my girls.

And they will end some day for my boys.

The days are LONG, but the years are short.

What will I do when I no longer have young children to raise?

It is everything that defines me.

"'For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord. 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.'"

Jeremiah 29:11-13

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

Proverbs 16:9

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

Proverbs 16:3

I do not know what the future holds for me.

I just know life can sure go by fast.

Excuse me now, while I eat peach crisp , cry, and mourn the end of an era.

That peach crisp is not going to eat itself, you know.

(This post is participating in Flashback Friday from Confessions of a Redeemed Diva)