Monday, August 29, 2016

Today Is the Day My Life Changes

Today is the first day that I put both boys on the school bus and am free ALL DAY (darn that Maryland and their insistence on full-day kindergarten) until they get home. I'm pretty sure I'm going to leap all the back to the house. So what else am I feeling? Lots of feelings, but sadness is not one of them.

I feel guilty. Guilty that of my close friends here, I'm the only one in the kid-free, all-day boat. Guilty that I only had two kids so I got to go into this boat relatively quickly. (But because I didn't have kids until I was older than most, it's still about the same age they'll be in when they get into this boat. They just happen to not yet be at that age.) Oooh, I just realized two friends are kid-free with me between 9 and 11:30 every MWF. This could be very good.

Scared. Scared to death, actually, that Ollie will really struggle with kindergarten. He is a silly, lively boy and extremely adorable, but if he makes up his mind against something, there's no convincing him (unless you bring out the big guns: Dum Dums). And what if he makes up his mind against kindergarten? How will that play out? I just don't know. I still believe starting him now is the right thing, but it doesn't make me less nervous.

Ecstatic. I mean, c'mon. Summertime brings just too much togetherness for my tastes. I think we're all ready for a break from each other.

Embarrassed. Embarrassed that I have THREE days a week with no kids at home and no job. I mean, whatever will I do? Well, this one I actually know how to handle.

Here's the updated 2016 list:
Grocery shop
Laundry
Volunteer at the boys' school
Prep meals
Clean the house (like really clean)
Lunch with friends
Service
Sewing
Church calling stuff
Exercise (run, bike, swim--probably not all on the same day, buuuuut I do have seven hours so anything is possible)
Strength train
Hike
Read
Work on "scrapbooks"
Plan next year's family reunion (I'm not really planning, just gathering details at this moment)
Shop (I need new clothes and our craft area needs some re-thinking)
Walk Bruno
Organize closets
Organize freezers
Wash cars

Both boys at school is a big deal though, right? This is definitely one of those game-changers. Wish me luck!

P.S. Speaking of game-changers, next up is Ollie learning to read. I am super excited for this and I think he is too. After that, I think our next big one is that they can stay home without us! That will be AMAZING. Although with Chuck's early work schedule and the boys' late school schedule, we'll have just over an hour every MWF without them. Three mini-dates a week!

2 comments:

  1. Amazing! You need to email me all the stuff you did today and how Ollie did and if Rhett likes his teacher, etc., etc. :)

    I still can't believe that we are childless. Crazy. I'm actually sad about it - but happy, too. (Hiking with adult ladies next Tuesday - whooppeee!) I've only had one day off thus far and won't have any kid-free days this week (Friday the kids are out of school!) But it will come.

    Anyways, this is super long. But congrats! You've earned this moment. :) Live it up!

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  2. I cannot tell you how jealous I am that you have reached this phase of life. What is this guilt you speak of? Nonsense!

    I already have a list of things about a mile long that I need to do once Afton starts kindergarten. Too bad it's still three years away!

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