Back to School...2011

It was the best of times... it wasn't quite the worst of times, but it certainly had some less than stellar moments.

Who wouldn't be excited about that first taste of freedom? Here I was, sending my two youngest off to pre-school and barely containing the giddiness I was feeling as I pulled up to the mall to go get my celebratory pedicure.

I'd done it. Reared my chicks to the point that they were all ready for independence.

First, Dylan's big day came. First Grade. He was excited, especially so because his neighborhood buddies would be on the bus with him.

We took the standard pictures and... off he went.
















It went well, that first day...until the end of the day. The girls and I waited for Dylan at the bus stop, but when it pulled up- there was no Dylan on board. The driver shrugged her shoulders and said, "I'm not sure what happened. I hope you find him." It took every bit of reserved grace I had not to rip her head off right then. I get it if it's not her problem, but don't you dare shrug it off like it's nothing. But right then, I needed to find my son. So, priorities.

I went inside and saw the answering machine flashing. I didn't take the phone outside with me, we'd waited 30 minutes for the bus to show up. It was a misunderstanding. I'd sent a note- and me, the writer, apparently wasn't clear about when he'd be picked up by me at school. I decided it was first day overload and picked him up. It happened once more, same thing- confused about a note. Can't tell you how much that irritates the writer in me. But, I think it's all clear now.

Otherwise-- it's going extremely well this year. He's a happy kid and he even got an apology (a real one) from the kid that had bullied him last year. So yay for a happy start to first grade.

Next, it was the girls' turn.

For over a month we'd been reallllly working at potty-training. And about a week before the first day- they really seemed to have it mastered. I was breathing a sigh of relief.

First day comes, I snap pictures.

It was a wonderful 2.5 hours. My feet felt wonderful. I didn't even care that they had Maury Povich on the tv while I was pampered.

I pulled up to the pre-school, ready to enfold my little chicks back into my wings, when I heard that awful sound-- "Lynn! I need you to come here please."

I tried to smile but I knew- I just knew- what was coming. Inside, Andrea was walking around doing the poopy penguin walk. It was her 2nd messy pants of the day. Daphne had also had a poop accident. I thought- here we go. Revoking their admission, sorry lady, get 'em outta here. But of course, they've been very sweet about it- but oh, I was so embarrassed.

All in all, it's been a pride-worthy season of change in the Diener house, but not without a few smelly bumps along the way.

That's all from our side of the tracks, for now. I hope you and yours are having a good start to the fall, too. Maybe without the incident-als.