School Days

We made it, we made it through a summer that was a little hard. Usually our summers are filled with long days at the pool, play dates at the park and afternoons spent in the back yard spread out on a big quilt surrounded by our picnic basket, an art tablet and various supplies. Not so much this summer, the heat didn't combine well with being so very pregnant and I admit that I was a grumpy pregnant momma. My Mommy Guilt has been at an all time high but we made it though and managed to have some fun in the process.

Today is the first day of school. The girls were so excited and I was excited too. I was looking forward to a clean house and some sweet sweet quiet. First day jitters were present for all of us. I kissed the palm of each of my little ladies and told them when they missed me to just put their hand to their cheek and that would be me kissing them.

It's just Jack and me home now. It's so very very nice and quiet. I walked through the house picking up little toys and went to put them in their rooms. I walked into Kendall's room and was hit, hit by her scent. The smell of bubble gum chap stick, baby shampoo and the smell from outside--you know that smell of cut grass that little kids somehow absorb into their skin while the wind blows through their hair during rides on a Dora bike with training wheels. That smell hit me like a ton of bricks and suddenly the house was too quiet and I had tears in my eyes. Suddenly all those messes were glimpses of them that I wasn't so very anxious to clear out. The sticky handprints on the front door, the brown dirt footprints on the white bathroom stools, and the crumbs, oh the crumbs...maybe they can go.

I think I should have had them kiss my palm too.