Back to School Blues (and Hopes)

Today is a day I've been both looking forward to and dreading at the same time.  It is the first day of school for Peanut and Pumpkin.

I am sitting here feeling a bit morose, yet hopeful.  I miss my girls - my reading buddies, my house cleaning helpers, my background musicians, my constant sources of surprise and amusement.  I miss our amazing and sometimes profound conversations.  I love our time together where we can create our own schedule, rules, and fun.  I already miss the random hugs throughout the day for no reason at all.  I miss listening to them play together (even when they argue).  I even miss the constant interruptions when I'm trying to get something done.  (I feel like I should probably accomplish more when they are back at school, but somehow, I don't.)

While there is so much that I miss when my girls are at school, I send them because I have hope.  I hope that they will learn more than I would be able to teach them. I hope that they will develop friendships that will help them through the difficult tween/teen years. I hope to expose them to people that are different than they are.  I want my children to be kind, compassionate, and open-minded.  I hope that school provides them with unique perspectives so that they can make well informed decisions about what they think, feel and believe.  I hope that they will find their voices, their passions, their paths in life that will make them the most content.