The Young and the Restless

first day

Besides the day that our air conditioner broke in the heat of an Arizona summer, this has been the longest day ever.  Just sitting there watching the clock and wondering what they were doing.  Wondering if they had made any friends yet.  Wondering if the uniforms were right.  Wondering if she really was supposed to wear a ponytail.  Wondering if they were sad when they realized I forgot to stick a note in their lunch like I always do on the first day of school (of all the days to forget!).  Wondering if they were sad that I accidentally overslept and didn't have time to make them a special first day of school breakfast like I always do (of all the days!). Wondering if they were learning the same curriculum.  Wondering if the teachers looked out for them.  Wondering, wondering, wondering....Kylie's stomach was in knots the night before (Jayden could really care less, you know Jayden) and my stomach was in knots the entire day for them.  It was hard enough starting a new school, but they were starting in the middle of the year where everyone already had their group of friends.  When I went to pick them up I felt like a weight had been lifted and I could finally breath again when I saw them both with smiles a mile wide. The first thing Jayden said to me (with his adorable squinty eyed grin, mind you) was, "the girls are totally attracted to me!".  I loved every minute of our walk home.  I loved our celebratory popsicles that we picked up at the corner dairy (I used to think all the corner marts were a bit of an eyesore, but I have grown to love them. I love dropping by the bakery for lollycake, I love picking up bread from the grocer when we run out, and our next outing will be the homemade donuts at the fish and chips shop, mark my word).  And then I loved that they both talked my ear off the entire way home.  About Jayden getting picked first for soccer every time. About the girls fighting over who got to play with Kylie.  About the girls all chasing Jayden at recess.  About all the boys who asked Kylie out.  About how Jayden's teacher picked him to be the special helper.  About how Kylie's teacher plays the guitar and sings to them.  About how they can take their shoes off and go barefoot in class (Kylie is disgusted by it because she said the boys all sit there and pick their toenails).  About how all the boys have mullets and wear an earring (um, eww). About how they go barefoot to assemblies on Wednesdays to learn the Haka dance.  About how they have winter sports and on thursday they get to go to the park to have a soccer tournament all day.  About how they NEVER have homework.  About how they have morning tea time, but they get to drink milk (everyone has morning tea time, even at Jason's work).  About how there's no cafeteria, they get to eat outside wherever they want.  About how they have a morning recess and an hour long lunch. About how Kylie wants to do chorus with her friends.  About how everyone says the "H" and "D" word because they don't think they're swear words (true story, even at church. we even had the missionaries over for dinner and he said the "D" word, it was kind of funny.  he also said that he could hear Ryder dropping the f-bomb like 5 times that one sunday and he was even sitting on the other side of the chapel, so we're even).  About how they absolutely love this school and about how they can't wait to go back the next day.  And not once did they even mention the forgotten lunch box note.

And then the next day marked this little mister's first day of kindy.  They start kindergarten when they're 3, but really it's preschool.  Then they start real school as a "new entrant" on the day of their 5th birthday, it's kinda strange because everyone is coming in at different times through out the year.  Maddox has always been my little side kick, he has my heart wrapped not only around his little finger, but around his entire fist.  I thought I would have a hard time when he left for school, but as soon as I stepped foot in here to register him, I knew he would absolutely love it.  If he could design a fantasy world, this would be it.  Imaginary play and crap projects to last a lifetime. Knowing he would have the best time made it not so hard to leave him there.  The first day he brought home this big wooden creation all painted and nailed together.  He was so proud of himself that he hammered it by himself and only hit his finger once.  He told me they had real hammers and real saws.  Surely this was not the case.  The next day I checked, sure enough, real saws just sitting out on the carpentry table in the middle of the playground.  All right then, carry on.  The teachers commented on his "dedication" to his craft projects.  I gave myself a mental pat on the back, I sure raised one heck of a crapper.

I told Ryder to give Maddox a love when it was time to go.  It appears that Maddox is ready to move in for an open mouth kiss with his eyes closed and the whole nine yards.  Ryder's not so sure.

They settled for the sideways man hug instead, with their dignity still intact.