The Most Wonderful Time of The Year!

Of course, if you asked my kids if they're excited about school, they would say "NO!" but, unfortunately, they have been known to lie. Joy (8) went down to the school box, where we keep all of the supplies that survived the previous school year without totally succumbing to my children's "gentle" ministrations, and packed her backpack without any prompting from me. On our recent vacation, Joy and AJ (11) both noticed store display bins in Walmart and started picking out the items they needed and even comparison shopped the RoseArt vs. Crayola products.

Danielle (16) might actually NOT be looking forward to school. Sometimes it's hard to tell, since she has an incredible knack for making her participation in even pleasurable experiences seem as though you are torturing her. I do know that she is looking forward to her Tuesday evening Bible study group and since that only meets during the school year, there is at least one thing she anticipates positively at this time of year. She hasn't mentioned needed anything for school but I've seen the duct tape and string holding the remains of her backpack together and I know what I'll be doing this week.

Beth will be a senior this year, turns 18 next week, and can't wait to register to vote in this year's historic elections. She has spent most Wednesday and Thursday evenings this summer learning ballet for her part in the school musical "Oklahoma". We spent yesterday at Target picking out senior portrait-worthy clothing. She hasn't said that she's NOT excited about school but she rolls her eyes at me when I start humming my favorite seasonal tune "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year".

I don't have time to watch tv. My husband and I are dedicated NetFlix subscribers and we spend about 45 minutes a day enjoying 2-4 year old tv series on DVD. We just found out who Sylar is and still don't even know what LOST is about! However, in spite of my cultural ignorance of current tv, I did manage to glimpse a commercial for Staples a year (or was it 2 or 3 years) ago, right about this time of year which showed happy parents gleefully pushing shopping carts down the school supply aisles to that cheerful Christmas song and I have never forgotten it.
I look forward to our dinner conversations (when not overshadowed by the requisite squabbling about who served themself before we prayed or whether or not everyone washed their hands, or has since rubbed their nose, sneezed, or scratched) which are usually lively with discussion about current events. My three oldest children all excel in Social Studies and History. They were able to name the presidential and vice-presidential candidates within minutes of their announcements. They enjoy sharing what their teachers have said or (to give some credit to the teacher) what they believed their teachers have said and I just know we will have lots to talk about between now and November!

I can't wait to dive back into my Bible study group, my Wednesday lunches with friends, exercise, putting in my 16 hours of work guilt-free, and, hopefully, dedicated prayer time with a friend.

Part of me will miss them when they go back to school but the other part of me is happily humming.