School Days

School has been in session for a little over a month for one of mine and a couple of weeks for the other two. So far we've spent almost $200 on fundraiser items so my little guy can go to a magic show and get VIP treatment. We've bought almost $150 worth of books from one and had to ignore the order forms for the other two. We've had notes sent home from school at least once a week due to inattentive or overactive behavior from one, but the other two are doing well. (knock wood) We have homework every night that takes twice as long as it should due to noncompliance. We've had parents' nights, open houses, and we have parties coming up soon.
I'm glad school has started back up so I have some down time! I have around two hours in the mornings when the youngest ones are at preschool. I do my shopping, errands, and all that fun stuff then. I'm still trying to organize my time so I can get the grunt work done and have time for my writing and jewelry-making while everyone is gone. Hoping to get it all ironed out so that I can post on a more regular basis. Until next time, stay safe and be blessed!

Storms, Vampires and Things That Go Bump In the Night

I got off the bus at a neighborhood daycare when I was in first grade. I was a chubby, clumsy little girl. I was afraid of the big kids on the bus, but never told my parents that. I stayed with a lady in our neighborhood who had a dozen or so kids she took care of. She watched a soap about vampires. The kids all were allowed to watch it too--by her, not our parents. I had nightmares about vampires quite often which confused my parents, I'm sure. I was also terrified of storms. Every time there was a hurricane, my grandparents would come up from Louisiana -- just outside New Orleans. The adults would always watch the weather and talk about hurricanes and the tornadoes that we would get as a result of the Gulf storms.

I was so afraid that I would get a box, fill it with my favorite canned goods, gather my dolls and my box of treasures, and hide in my closet. I remember sitting in there for hours terrified that we'd all die. Or that my parents would die and leave me alone.

I recently went in to check on my six year old and found him under his train table. It was stormy and he woke up afraid. I crawled under the table and put my arms around him. As I held him in my arms, I told him everything would be okay. I assured him we were safe and the storm was only a lot of noise and lights, kind of like fireworks. We climbed out from under the table. I sat on him bed and held him in my lap, all too conscious that in a few years he wouldn't want me to hold him. As I looked down at his sweet little face, I was overcome with love. I hoped that he was comforted by my words. I hoped that 40 years from now he wouldn't remember the fear, only the comfort. I laid him down and covered him up. As I leaned down to kiss him softly on the forehead, he smiled. What a beautiful child.