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That goofy song will always be stuck in my head the first week of school every year. It’s the price of being Veggie Tales aware I suppose.

So the first official day:

School days are going to be super long for the girls because Craig has to be there early and leave late. I went ahead and took them yesterday so they wouldn’t have to get there at 6:30, but I’m pretty sure they are going with him tomorrow and that means rolling out of here by 7.

Aside from our backpack situation (how many can you count in this photo?), we had a clothing emergency as well. While I thought I was prepared and had multiple things for each kid (and I have it all on that master spreadsheet to prove it) the one major thing I failed to do was to have Maddie try anything on. I had everyone else do that, but just thought everything I got her would for sure fit. I was for sure wrong. We found one thing we had that would work (it just takes one, right?) and avoided a catastrophe of middle-school proportions, but I could see the disappointment radiating off her face. As soon as I got home I placed yet another Lands’ End order for three more shirts for her. It takes them a long time to do the logos, so she’s stuck in the one shirt you see above for the next couple of weeks. I think she will survive, but barely.

Today was our first home day. I was mentally geared up for a full day of work and discovered that I did not overshoot the estimate. It did take us the entire day. One thing we have to nail down for the future is when I’m actually available to help any given kid at any given time. I thought I made it pretty clear this morning when I said I’d be starting with Millie and working my way up. I thought I explained they needed to work on what they could on their own until I got around to them. That explanation did not negate their need to all call out, “Mo-o-o-o-o-m-m-m-m-m!!!” over and over and over again. That little number has got to change.

But other than that, our first two days went pretty well.

Initial observations:

• This house is pretty darn quiet when it’s just me, Boomer, and Peaches.
• I don’t really mind the quiet at all.
• I did have a moment in which I felt sorry for myself for being alone all day.
• That moment passed.
• I felt guilty for taking a 30-minute nap in my too-quiet house.
• I need to make a master spreadsheet of all I’d actually like to accomplish during my 16-hours/week.
• Doing school with my kids from 8-3 every day is pretty much one of the reasons we ended up sending two kids to school last year.
• Doing school with my kids from 8-3 today was tolerable because I knew that tomorrow they would be in school again and I would be able to punch on my to-do list then.
• The iPhone has to be one of our best educational investments EVER. Calculator, Bible, Timer, Memory Work Songs, Dictionary, and SO MUCH MORE. Awesome.

One last observation: I need to stop staying up this late because even though I’m not driving my kids to school in the morning, I still need to get up to help them get ready and out the door. If I don’t go to sleep soon I’ll have to take another 30-minute nap tomorrow and I’ll feel guilty about it right after feeling sorry for myself for being alone and just before not minding the quiet at all.

We’re two days in so far. And so far…so good.