First Days

"What was the best part of your day?" is the question that can be asked to promote discussion and avoid one word answers. Well! There is no need to ask me an open ended question to get me talking about yesterday.

The first best thing was the quiet that preceded the day. I got up at my normally scheduled time, went through my usual routines and ... the little ones didn't start filing in at 7:15 in the morning.

Lately, I've had one or two 2 & 4 year olds arrive at 7:15; followed by 2 more (the same age) at 7:30. These 4 little girls created noise and havoc like no others. In my new life ... it is quiet.

The second best thing was the ability to still be a 'mom' and take Kurt and one of my daycare boys to school and deliver them to their new classrooms.

Kurt found his name on the list in his new classroom, found a spot for his school supplies and sat down. I took one look at his face and I knew. I glanced over at the list of names to try and find some of his best friends. They weren't on it. I looked back at Kurt and he knew that I knew what he was feeling. I made a comment about how nothing is set in stone at first ... things could change. But we've both been through this enough times to know that they rarely do. What you see on your first day of school is quite often what you get. There was nothing that I could do or say ... but I was there.

The third best thing was heading off and facing my own first day at school. I couldn't wait to settle in and tackle my books. Basic, tedious stuff - 'Introduction to Personal Computers' and basic keyboarding skills. I can find my way around a computer but I don't know the technical terminology. So I must wade through this book so that I can get through my first exam and keep heading in a forward direction.

I'm kind of glad that I have some basic courses to initiate me back into the world of learning. I just hope I don't get lost in the tedium before I start learning what I have set out to learn.

The very best thing was coming home! I breezed back into the house with only minutes to spare before my after school crowd started arriving.

Yesterday I had a grand total of 4 kids here, between the ages of 6 and 11. It was wonderful. Kurt was glad to have his friends back (they didn't come here over the summer holidays) and it was so good to hear him engaged in playing with kids. He's had friends over, over the course of the summer but he hasn't involved himself with the kids in my daycare. It was music to my ears to hear the easy companionship that was so quickly rekindled. That is the kind of kid-noise that I like.

The process of settling in 4 older kids, getting through the snack and finding something to do was so easy that I don't think I had much to do with it. The next thing I knew, they were off and playing ... and I was able to get to work.

Yes. I had book keeping work that had to be done. But that was okay. I got a nice early start to it and I worked without interruption for 2 hours while I had kids. Without interruption!! I just stood their smiling to myself as I waded through the work in front of me. No one was calling my name, no one was bickering/tattling/crying/needing/wanting or demanding anything from me. No one! I was giddy with delight.

A person is much saner when your attention isn't being divided in 6 different directions. To focus on one task, with the only distraction of just listening to kids at play (contentedly and happily) is amazingly easy. I have the ability to multitask ... but I have grown tired of honing that skill.

As our supper took care of cooking itself in the oven (as I had wound down my school day, put in the last of my kid-day and gotten a good start to my book keeping day), I was content.

It was a very, very full day. An exhausting day. A new day. But it was enveloped in familiarity.

A handful of older kids that I know well came and went throughout the before and after school hours.

Back to school where things are new ... but it's a road we've travelled before.

My book keeping work took a higher priority in the day, which is where it now belongs. It (for the most part) is not only the reason I've gone back to school, but it is paying for the vast majority of our living expenses while I am getting educated.

As first days go, it was a very good one. And I hope today is even better.