Skools In

Delivering supplies to school on Sunday.

I’ve collapsed in my chair. Eli and I are enjoying the silence that falls over the house after six year old chatter is quiet for the evening.  Since school started, we have bedtime routines back in place. Sidney is bouncing off the walls about being back while Eli continues to mutter, in defiance, saying something about the end of his freedom.  I have to admit I wasn’t really ready for having to be on a schedule again. I work from our house, so our summer was very relaxed. Mom up at the crack of dawn for a few hours of uninterrupted work, breakfast, short play, tutoring for reading in the morning, then lunch, and off to the public pool. Despite their age difference it’s something, a six and twelve year old enjoy equally. 

Who's to stop a queen from blowing bubbles outside? 

And if you’re picturing us driving up to a beautiful pool let me interrupt that thought. We live in Iowa. It’s the same pool I traveled to on swim team when I was a kid. I’m 39, (and hanging on tight until next month). The last time I was on swimteam I was 12.  It’s old, but we don’t care. It’s fun and is one environment that doesn't allow the kids to be parked inside the air conditioning in a sendetary zombie like state. It wares them down. Of course, there were always those moments when we saw an interesting patron, and Eli turned to me and quietly said, “It’s called public for a reason Mom.” 

So in between all of this, on July 13^th, we celebrated five years home  with Tom’s parents by lazing around outside on a nice Sunday afternoon. The girl rolling around outside on Grandpa’s shop stool was barely recognizable in comparison to the person in front of me in Changsha. The isolation and neglect of the world  has been replaced by  spunk and a child who loves life. I have tried writing this post a million times mulling over that day and always come back to the theme of never forgetting what goes on even though it's not in our backyard. Our society lacks awareness, and if I could change anything it would be this. 

Tomorrow is coming sooner than I think. I promise to be a better blogger in the future, and especially for my most willing reader - my mother.