First Day of School Should Be a National Holiday

Today is back to school day!! Woo Hoo!!! First, let me assure you that I love my children. I'll love them even more later today. Working night shift means sleeping during the day, when they are in my house. All day long. And despite warning, they like to come in to my bedroom to ask me things like, "Can I have some ice cream?" Really? When I'm in between nights shifts? Unless the house is on fire or one of your limbs is hanging by a thread, I'm not interested. Especially since their father works from home...

This year, both of my kids are in high school. Yes, TWO high schoolers. There may be some alcohol in my near future. How this happened, without my aging, is beyond me. It seems like yesterday they were tiny and starting school.

If I'm honest, I have a love/hate relationship with them returning to school. I love them being gone all day. Oh, and learning stuff. That's important. But then comes the daily battle. Go to bed on time. Wake up on time. Do your homework. Read that book. Before the day it's due. Yes, you have to actually study for that test. Then there's one playing school soccer and one playing club soccer. That's completely different practice schedules. I'm exhausted already just thinking about it.

So, in a few hours, I will race home from the hospital, hoping to get there in time for the first day of school picture. And hoping they allow me to take one. And then I'll watch the bus pull away while I rejoice and my heart breaks a bit. One day soon, I won't have any more first days of school.