The Bitter and The Sweet

We are T-minus 15 hours and counting to "school year '10-'11" for the two youngest of the Nowell boys.

The are both beyond excited to return to Shelton. The Babe seemed to embrace his entrance into "big school" this summer in a way most kids wouldn't: it was an adventure. So, returning, is simply an extension of his previous journey*.

Hooman is simply thrilled to have the top locker in the third grade classroom on the second floor of the building. Even though his bestest pal isn't in his class this year, one of his previous Kindergarten friends is, so already we have the ball in our court.

I've been to The Container Store and purchased BPA-free plastic containers for all the wonderful lunches I'll be sending.

I am in process of readying clothing.

I will create the "cafeteria-style" menu and devote it to paper after dinner. It will probably create one last, necessary trip to the grocery store.

But, there is still a little hole in my plans for the "best return to school ever": Mom isn't around for me to call after the first day to celebrate how much the kids like their teachers and classrooms and being back at school.

In some way, I feel like I can breathe a sigh of relief. We've almost made it through the first summer without Mom. It wasn't without its incredibly painful moments, lessons to be learned, and tears. And, we've hit the milestones of our first fourth of July, my birthday, and our first family trip without her. Grief, if nothing else, is relenting in its calendar-like evil.

But, we march forward into school knowing that a little more pain it is about to be in the history books. Pain that, hopefully, will project us all forward.

Of course, if you caught this earlier, I still have one more Nowell to send to school.

Yes, one more week for Nickels. He drew the luckiest card ever: construction on the fifth/sixth grade classrooms at his new school, Covenant, lingered a tiny bit longer than expected, and, with it, the original start date of Wednesday got moved to the following Monday.

You can imagine my absolute joy at THAT email.

But, I'm trying to look at the positive side: the next task on my list is to paint the laundry room** and I'll have a helper!! Bonus!!

And, I've asked Mike to take a day off so they can spend some quality time together. Given the fact that Mike has traveled about 25 of the last 35 days, I think I might actually get my request.

Maybe that will be the day, the one day all year, I lie in bed, watching TV, eating over-priced chocolates and calling girlfriends whom I haven't spoken to since I had three kids and a husband.

Then again, maybe not.

Except for the part about the chocolates.


*I swear, if his teacher gives him any more compliments, his head will explode off his body. I need to, tactfully, tell her to back the heck off.

**Yes. One more task on the never-ending remodel....