Friday, September 11, 2009

Back to School

This week has been completely amazing. I've forgotten how much easier it is to get everything done around here without an 8-y-o and a 9-y-o hanging around to remind me of how boring everything is. And how hot it is outside, and how I'm mean because I don't allow video games every day. Also, 3-y-o isn't missing the older kids half as much as I'd thought he would.

The thing that's not so great: the sixty miles of driving them back and forth to school everyday. Which amounts to 3hours in driving and waiting around for their respective school day(s) to begin and end. So, how do I still have all of this extra time? Is it because I'm back to waking at 6am? Should I get up at 5 so that my workouts can be done before the rest of the house so much as *thinks* about waking?

Everything about this week has been beautiful, including the weather: lows in the high 50's and highs in the upper 70s-low-80's. The kids haven't been weighed down with homework, so we've had time for art projects, some studying on the computer, and for running around the neighborhood with friends. I just want to freeze this week in time so that I can pull it out whenever things aren't so smooth or easy. When there's so much homework that there aren't enough minutes in the day to get everything done, when the weather keeps the kids inside, or when friends aren't around because so many of them have to go their other parent's house tonight.

Tonight we'll be together, toasting marshmallows and enjoying each other's company. And I'll also be thinking about the perfect day 8 years ago when the world seemed to change. The day when I worried about what kind of world I had just brought my new baby into. And I'll think about the families that were not so fortunate on that day.

Today I'm thankful that our family is whole, and loves each other; and that our kids have us to lean on when everything isn't so great.

3 comments:

Levi said...

What a beautifully written post. And such kind things to say about your children. Not so kind about the 60 miles but you can listen to Pema Chodron on CD. I can send you copies if you want. (have so many now!0

Loved the post. Love the sentiment. I wrote about the day too. Very touching. My 31 year old son cried this morning because 8 years ago was very tragic for him personally and us as a family. 9/11 was right before my husband died.

Levi said...

I love this new look and want to copy it.

P/F said...

Thanks POD, I read your post and it really made me think about the way we revisit those painful points in our lives - I'm not totally convinced that the pain isn't useful if we can keep from letting it overtake us.

I've been listening to the first CD of "A New Earth" for the last week, and find that I'm going to have to bring it inside to listen to instead of NPR. I'm just not able to concentrate on the message on these drives - but I've been having great conversations with G about Lego Starwars, robots, and toilet paper.

Re: the new look. Copy it. I'll email you the links and info if you like. I'm trying to one thing a day to limit my time on the computer, so by next month it will be looking fabulous!