The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

...or is it? The parents I know are pretty much divided into two camps: those who cannot wait to send their children back to school, and those who want to wrap their arms around their Carter's-clad "baby" and never let go. I think I've got one foot on each side. We have had our adventures, we have had our summer reading battles and bribes, we have had enough ice cream to sink a ship. They've had enough of each other, and enough of me. Enough already! Time to get back to a predictable schedule, order, seeing friends on a daily basis, and getting adequate sleep. (I was referring to them, but on second thought I may be referring to myself here.)

This year is different. This will be the first time that both of my daughters are in school for a full day. That means from approximately 8:45 until 3:15 there will be no one here but me! Should I laugh hysterically or mope and inhale their pillow scents as I make the beds? I confess that I am looking forward to having more uninterrupted time to work. Another upside is that the house will stay cleaner because there are fewer hours for them to rip through it like tiny tornadoes. Tiny, cute, rosy-cheeked tornadoes with high voices and marker on their fingers and chocolate on their chins. *sob*

Maybe I'll finally paint the master bedroom after living here for 7 years. Maybe I'll take a class! Maybe I'll adopt a dog! But first I think I'll take a week or two and enjoy the day-long calm I mean emptiness I mean peace I mean loneliness. We'll see how long I last...