I can't help but love them and hate them all at the same time. I find myself both frustrated that the weekend's come to an end so quickly, and yet relieved to be falling back into a familiar routine. Monday mornings are typically a little slower-paced here, especially on my part, but after the full weekend we just had, it was even more so. John and I both got up with the school kids at the 7o'clock alarm. Little Rose always gets up with her big sisters too, so when John took off to substitute for one of the school bus routes, and the oldest 3 went to school, it was just her and I until the rest crawled out of bed closer to 9am. Wow~ what a strange morning. Typically, all 12 of us have breakfast together.
Anyhow, after coffee, and a slow clearing of countertops...all the green beads, trinkets, candies and remnants of the weekend left behind to clutter...we're able to get on with the day. The weather turned out to be gorgeous here. It called for the kids and I to have our first picnic of the new year. We packed up our PB&J's and headed to Four Seasons park, where all the kids had fun on the playground equipment. It's really gonna take me some time to get used to my baby being one of the big kids. Lucy was up and down the slide, playing with the boys and their trucks in the mulch. She didn't need her mama one bit, except to rescue her from the mud she wandered into, and to peel the mulch from her sticky peanut butter hands.
I brought the kids to mom's for awhile while I headed to a parent meeting at school. Seems as though it's time already to get John and Mary registered for kindergarden in the fall. Oh my. It was nice chatting with the other parents a bit, including My Little Saint's mom. Before I know it, my baby birds will all have flown the coop. Mary & John's start into school in the fall, dips into the bottom half of my 10. My babies are leaving... You would think I'd be too busy to feel this sentimental about it, but they're all so close in age, that I realize when one goes, another is not far behind. Before I know it, we'll be registering for college. Yikes. Slow down, Jamie. It is Monday afterall...back to the here and now. I believe I hear a cup of coffee and some laundry calling my name. Good evening all!
