day 3

I got up with the sun this morning and walked the dog. We went a little over 3 miles and I realized half way through that I had gone too far. It was just so nice and cool (only compared to the 110 degrees in the afternoon) that I didn't want to go home just yet. Sunny is a good, big dog and loves to be outside. So do I, especially when the sky is pink.

When I arrived home, Ben was waiting for me on the driveway. I was surprised to see him and asked him what brought him outside so early in the morning. He had a question: "Is this outfit okay for school?" I took a look at his striped shirt and plaid shorts and smiled. "What do you think?" was my response. He shrugged and said, "I don't think it really goes together." I told him it would probably be better to wear the stripes OR the plaid, but probably not at the same time. He ran upstairs, changed, and came to the breakfast table in style.

For the third day in a row, Dad has been there when I've dropped off the kids at school. Not because he's overly attached to them (as if there is anything wrong with that) but Aaron's car is in the shop and I have to take him to work after I drop the kids off. It's great timing.... being down to one car the week school starts. But I have to admit it's been "fun" dropping them off as a family. Simon gets a little sad when they leave the car, but Zack cheers him up quickly with a few simple silly faces.

Today when Luke jumped out of the car he said, "Mom! Where is my backpack?" I asked him where he left it. "Um... on the couch." Oops. I told him that he would have to go without it today and that he could put all of his papers in Ben's backpack. Their lunches were in the same bag and luckily Ben was in charge of it. Had Luke been responsible for it, it might not have made it to the school either. Dad gave Luke a high five through the rolled-down window and we smiled as he ran off, backpack-less, to catch up with Ben who was already at the playground.

We watched as both boys joined in a game of dodgeball (their favorite part of going to public school :) As we drove away, we saw Luke get pegged in the face with the ball. It was so sad, but he smiled at the kid who threw it at him, and walked to the outside of the court to wait his turn to get back in the game. I wanted to blow a whistle, stop the game, tell my boys to get inside van and drive away. Instead, I pulled out my cell phone and snapped a quick picture. Aaron and I laughed about it all day, but I kind of felt like crying about it too. Day 3 and no tears shed, yet. But I can't make any promises.
Their teacher wanted to meet with me after the final bell rang. I love that there are only 12 students in the class and that she has the desire/ability to talk with us on a more personal level. She told me she was worried about Luke because he hasn't said much the past three days. I told her not to fret. He's not shy, but he won't talk unless he has something to say, and he usually doesn't have anything to say. On the drive home, I asked Luke if he remembered getting hit in the head in dodgeball and he said, "Um. I think." Then I asked him if he said anything in class and he said, "No, not really." I am sure it will take us all a little time to warm up to this public school routine.

After dinner, Dad went to the church for a bit and the rest of us wanted to play Boggle. Unfortunately, the school-kids needed to write a short story. It's not fair that they were gone for 6 hours doing work and have to do more when come home. Why can't we use our family time to do something we WANT to do? Would it be so detrimental to their "education" to play a game where you spell words? Apparently so. Ben wrote a story about a tiger escaping from a zoo at night. He used capital letters at the beginning of every sentence and periods at the end. Luke wrote a story about four brothers who found a meteor in the middle of a soccer field. The youngest brother (who was only two) jumped on the meteor and started flying around the field. They finally got him down and put him in jail for disobeying. While we were reading (and laughing at) Luke's story, Simon got a hold of Ben's finished homework and ripped it in three pieces. We taped it back together. I wonder if his teacher will believe his excuse tomorrow about why his homework isn't perfect. Simon got put in jail/bed for disobeying.

It's now 10:15 pm. I am tired and frustrated. I wish I wouldn't have walked so far this morning. I wish I would have been able to play a game with my kids today. I hope that Luke will remember to duck next time a ball comes flying towards his face. I hope I am doing the right thing for my family. We didn't read scriptures tonight or say prayers like we usually do. But the sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, they'll be sun.... and another day of public school.