The First Day of School (…one week later)

So, I meant to post this blog post last week, but… life.  Despite the late posting, our first week back was really great!  The kids have excellent teachers this year and both have friends in their classes, too.  They were pretty pumped to get back to school. They were NOT so pumped to have their pictures taken directly in the sunshine at 8:00 in the morning on the first day of school.

I’m not going to lie. It has been difficult to get settled into a routine with my new job. I love having the freedom to drop off in the morning, but I’m still struggling with how to manage my work day after I pick them up from school at 3:00. They aren’t in aftercare for the first time and so we are now responsible for homework at home, instead of them being able to get it done before I picked them up in years past.

It’s hard to focus on them after a fun school day, when their little minds are racing and they have so much to say to me because in my head I have about 10,000 work things that I am right in the middle of when pick up time rolls around. It is hard for me to come in and out of work mode smoothly and so I am working on that balance right now. But, I’m giving myself grace in this first week as we ALL learn a new routine for the new school year.

Also different this year is my role as the PTA President, which I GROSSLY underestimated when I was elected. I knew there was a lot involved insofar as planning and organization was concerned. I did NOT know how often it would require me to be up at the kids school. I think I was up there for something almost every day this first week. On the first day of school, the PTA hosted our annual “Boo Hoo/Wahoo Breakfast” for kindergarten parents.

I’ve chaired this event for the past few years, but have never actually been able to attend it myself because I always had to be at my own school on the first day. This year, though, I was able to coordinate, arrange, and host it and it was so fun! We had over 40 kindergarten parents show up, which is our biggest turn out ever! We served Einstein Bagels and coffee, and had PTA information, event calendars, and volunteer sign ups laid out. It was a big hit!

But that was really just the beginning. From dropping membership packets to checking our mailbox to moving fundraising supplies that were delivered and dropped in the middle of the front office, it has been something just about every day. I’m hoping this settles down a little bit because it has been disruptive to my work days. But, again, grace upon grace upon grace. The first week is always bumpy, so I’m hoping it settles soon.

I took this picture of Chris and Bean on the first day of school, just before Bean walked to his desk and we left. Chris was telling him to pay attention, learn a lot, but mostly to be kind to others. Goodness, he is such a good daddy.

So, we survived our first week of school. This weekend, we have taken it easy to rest up after such a fun, busy week back in the grind. But Gracie came up to me about 10 minutes ago and said how excited she was to start her second week tomorrow, so that’s something. One day at a time, friends. One day at a time.