Unexpected Surprises

Today was the first day of school. First day of making new friends, becoming used to new surroundings, and trying to navigate around new teachers. Drew and I walked with them into their classes, and I was so proud of them. They were, of course, nervous. So was I. Caleb walked in and we could tell didn't want us to linger too long, and as hard as it was, I didn't. How is the little boy who was obsessed with Thomas the Train in 4th grade? Grace walked in her class and began talking to her teacher, and telling her how excited she was. No shock there! :) Madeline walked in, hung up her backpack and walked to her chair. She looked back at me, which of course almost broke my heart. Why, I don't know. Maybe it was because her backpack still looks like it swallows her up when it's on her back, maybe it's because her little jumper she has to wear looks like I could fit two of her in it. She is our little peanut, and although she was putting on a brave face, I could tell she was nervous. I walked over gave her a big hug and reminded her to look at her palm when she was lonely. We love the book the "Kissing Hand" and have adapted our own version of it in this house. It's a cheesy, corny thing that I do with the girls and I think you need to have more estrogen than testosterone to understand. But they love it, and I will do it as long as they let me. I may even just hold them down when they are 16 and draw a heart on them. ;)

And now here I sit. After getting home and starting to get things ready for dinner.....a bottle of marinade exploded in my face after I opened it. Marinade that has horseradish in it....spicy horseradish. So, after telling myself I was not going to die on the kitchen floor or at the least go blind, I gathered myself together and began drowning my face in water. Once I got to a mirror, I noticed I had brown marinade dripping from every part of my face and hair, and the left side of my face looked like it had gone a couple rounds with Rocky. And I had to laugh. So much for the quiet afternoon I was going to spend missing my children. For the past 2 hours I have re-showered, started two loads of laundry, mopped the floors, cleaned the marinade off all the cabinets, and lit 20 candles because my house reeks. So, here I sit with the left side of my face burning and swollen from the aftermath of spicy marinade attacking it, and I have to admit, I haven't really had time to miss my children too much......wonder what I will do tomorrow to distract myself.