First Day of School

Last night's back-to-school meet-and-greet felt far more familiar to me than last year's masked and distant meet-and-greet. Still a far cry from what I am remembering from my first parenting career, but at least I could read lips. The activities were all outdoors, and a few hugs were exchanged. Zero handshakes were offered. It still felt socially distant from the end of the millennium back-to-school events of my first parenting career.

The kids are turbo-charged today. Baby Sis isn't all the way sure what is going on, but when you are 2 1/2, any excuse will due for turbo-charging. I suspect we are in for a bit of drama tomorrow morning when Big Bro and Big Sis get on that big, yellow bus without her.

That big, yellow school bus is the biggest change over last year. For the past two years, Hubs and I shared the driving duties to carry our students the 8 miles from the farm to the school. This year both students enthusiastically campaigned to use the school bus. Testing, 1, 2, 3. . . Today our branch boss is out clearing the long, uphill driveway. The Farm-to-Market road our driveway is on is a brutal road to turn around on, even for a zippy sports car. For a lumbering school bus, the turn around is downright dangerous. The school bus company was delighted to learn of a safe turn around they can use on this road. For us, it makes the bus stop both safe and immensely convenient.

Today I leave the mood icon squarely on "Okay." Tensions are running high, but we are fairly confident the stage is well set and the backstage support is ready, willing and able to come through for the big show. Performance anxiety to be expected. We've worked with less. On with the show. . .