Why My Heart Melted On the First Day of School

School started today for my children.  They could hardly sleep last night, and the anticipation this morning was so cute to watch.   

My stomach was all in knots, as well.  I can now better understand that quote by Elizabeth Stone that says, "Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."  (And mine is in four parts!)

But to explain why my heart melted, I need to go back a few years to a conversation I recorded when Spencer (age one) and Ethan (age five) were taking a bath together.  I was sitting on the bathroom floor with my computer, and when I heard their sweet dialogue, I started typing as quickly as I could.

Ethan: Spencer, will you stay one forever?

Spencer: Oooh bash

Will you stay one for me?

Uhhhhh abash

I'm going to miss you when you grow up.

Arsh?

When I'm in 4th grade, you'll be in Kindergarten.  And I'll call to you on the playground, and you'll run to me and hug me.  And you'll always know me because I'm your brother.  Forever we're brothers . . . Forever we're brothers . . . Forever we're brothers, right?

Oooh abash

Forever we're brothers.


That experience was sweet to me then, but now I need to finish the story with what happened this morning.

Eric took Alia to middle school (Ahhh!  Can't wait to hear how it went for her), and I dropped Grace off in the car line because she was dying to get to her classroom.  Then I parked in a neighborhood across the street (too many cars in the parking lot today) and walked in with the boys.

Ethan helped Spencer put his shoes on the right feet this morning, and then while we were walking, he said, "Here Spencer, let me put your lunch box into your backpack for you."

And then Ethan said, "You can hold my hand."

We walked together up to the gate, and then I kissed Ethan and sent him off to find his class.

And then I stayed in the Kindergarten room until all the parents had to leave.  We read books, did a few activities together, and met some new friends.

And then when I walked out the door, I wiped away a few tears and entered this brand new stage in my life--one where I have three and a half hours of quiet time every day.  It's marvelous when I think about how much I can get done, but I can't wait to see my children again.

Do you love the first day of school?