first day

Well here we go again, the ringing of the bell, the pledge of allegiance, and freshly polished floors. If you close your eyes you can almost smell the ink from fresh mimeographs. The first day of school. The day parents wait for all through August. The day parents can return their wild ones to that sacred place that allows us our sanity nine months of the year. They may go willingly or kicking and screaming, but no holds barred, they are returning! Yesterday marked the first day of my child's second year of pre-school. This year he goes all day!! Hooray, hooray! Well as this new tradition would have it, my husband and I did the usual lugging of school supplies, lunch, rest-time mat, blankie, backpack, oh, and child. Finally situated with last year's returning friends, we kissed him good-bye and made a mad dash for the door. As luck would have it, again, this mom trying my best to be brave, broke down in tears the minute we left the classroom. I have come to the conclusion that this will just be my habit. I am no good at these "monumental" occasions. Taking deep breaths never helps only postponing the eventual emotional release. I hate this hair trigger crying. My husband thinks it's sweet, I just find it annoying. If I'm this much of a mess now, Lord, wait until he goes off to college. Determined to enjoy our free time together my husband and I went off to lunch and shop. Being an oppressively humid gray day it did not help deter my worries. Putting on a brave face through each store and laughing through lunch only had me missing my little one more. Finally, three o'clock, time to pick him up! As we again made our way through the confusing mess of cars we saw his class venture from the building. Poking his head out the window my husband was able to see our child emerge through the crowd. Catching sight of his father's wild curls and smiling face, our child lit up like Christmas and made a mad  dash for our car. Wrapping my arms around his little body in welcome I again felt that lump in my throat. So happy to have him safe and sweet in my grasp, I didn't care who saw me cry. This is my son, my husband and together we are family. Good morning world.