Happy School Year

Tomorrow it starts.  Back to school.  Back to bed times.  Back to packed lunches.  Back to bus times.  Back to homework.  Back to routines.  While our summer hasn't been as perfect as I would have hoped, I still find myself wishing for more. 

This last month has been a bit of a blur with Rich's dad being hospitalized.  This, coupled with continued crazy health news including my grandmother falling and breaking a hip and continued sadness over Bailey's death, has made me feel like the kids have been robbed of much of their summer.  And in fact, Paige came down from bed last night feeling melancholy thinking about so much bad news we've received lately.  We spent time talking about how, though it seems that way, we are still truly blessed and things could be much worse than they are.  There is definitely a part of me that needed to hear those things out loud just as much as her.

In watching the kids enjoy playing outside, our small outings, simple pleasures, I realize that they don't feel robbed of a summer.  We still managed to check quite a few experieces off our summer fun list.  Maybe I'm just sad to go back because I'm afraid I'll stop hearing Will and Cole giggle and plan "awesome ideas" together once school starts, or that I'll stop seeing Paige come up with crafty ideas to try out because all of our time will be scheduled.

Either way, tomorrow the fall quarter of school will start - even though temperatures will be in the 90s.  Even though I haven't even posted about Will's birthday or our mini summer vacation.  Even though I don't want it to yet.


Don't be fooled.  This was at the mall.  And, yes, Cole is wearing socks with sandals.  Gag.



Actually making it to the public pool the last week off school!  Score!  Cole did the big slide in the background for the first time.  Just once, but he can say he did it!