This was bittersweet

 As you might recall, Isaac turned four at the end of August.  I was determined that he wouldn't start school until next fall when he turned five.  However, when you are fifth on the totem pole and you have watched your siblings traipse off to your father's place of work for four years already, you might just be desperate to join them.  Also, Isaac was getting bored here at home and I am getting old and unable to entertain for endless hours in a bid not to turn on the TV.  So, we decided that Isaac would start JK on a part-time basis, three days a week.  Isaac is incredibly social and I knew that he would have absolutely no trouble finding his place in the classroom.  A full two weeks after school had already started, I walked him to school mid-morning and plunked him down in the middle of 23 perplexed 4 and 5 year olds.  For exactly 45 minutes he held my hand until he looked me squarely in the eye and said, "You can go now, Mom, my cry is gone."  But mine isn't.

 We've shelved this backpack until he grows a little taller!  I instructed Joe and Ben to watch Isaac on the playground at recess and lunch time.  On Isaac's first day, I stayed until recess time and then rushed down to Dave's classroom where I could spy on the junior playground.  Dave and I stood at the window and laughed as we watched Isaac playing with trucks while being shadowed by his two older brothers.  He looked like the youngest member of the royal family attending public school along with his security detail.  I half-expected Joe and Ben to be wearing ear pieces and packing weapons.  They take their brotherly roles very seriously.

 Can you see them?  Those five little figures are 5/6 of my children traipsing off to school on their five minute commute down the road, through a wooded trail which emerges on a wonderful school playground entirely shaded by 40 foot pines.  It is not hard to send my kids to school when I know that their father is just down the hall and I am welcome at any time and in any classroom.  I am very thankful for this life of ours.

 And what did I do with only one child?  I got another one!  No, this little god-daughter of ours came over with her mother who helped me can the many, many tomatoes that my mother-in-law continues to drop off at our door.  It is so nice to have adult company.  Last year I came to a a full realization of how extroverted I am.  There is definitely an introverted part to me, but this is more than fed by being a stay-at-home mom.  In fact, it took me 11 years to realize that many of my struggles and anxieties stem from so many hours spent at home with only the kids.  Thus, I have taken the bull by the horn and tried to be much more pro-active about seeking adult companionship during the school week.

 Having only one child at home also allows me to help out some of my friends when they need childcare.  Well, in this case Isaac was home on one of his days off.  He is so enamoured by school that I had to convince him that I needed him to stay at home in order to babysit his god-sister.

Here they are enjoying standard childhood fare, cheese and crackers.  I went briefly inside the house only to find that they found it much more fun to feed the snack to the dog.  Such is life.