I wrote a post years ago about the celebration that is back to school…but today, I am feeling a tad bit different.

There is a day of the year that every parent looks forward to, the day the yellow bus comes to your street, the day the pencils are sharpened and the backpack is packed. Every parent rejoices…or do they?

Years ago I wrote a blog post about how great it was when they go back to school, to have peace and order in the house again. Of course it means lunch packing, and home work arguments but its all worth it, right? For that peace and tranquility, right?

Our summer went something like this: Get up for morning swim, get home for lunch, do some reading for Haylee {maybe even play a bit}, Algebra 1 for Ash, then pack up for afternoon swim, and then rush in dinner, and get to bed before it all starts again tomorrow. Ah, the summer life seems as busy {if not busier} then the school day life! Sure we swam hard, and saw great rewards for it. Sure, Haylee made it to camp, and Ash finished a class all of St. Johns County administration told her she could not {an honors class no less}. We made it on some vacations… and of course one of those included a swim meet. WAIT! no, both did, silly me. But as I look back, I realized how FAST it goes by! And this morning I realized I have 204 Saturdays left with Ash before she leaves for school.

I have many friends who have kids leaving for college this year, and I see the excitement for everyone, but also some sadness from the parents. We have pushed and pushed, and they have gotten older and older, and we have sharpened pencils and packed lunches, and checked homework. And then, one day, its all done. And I am guessing you are not quite sure how it even got here! When I wrote about the happiness of school, the fear of them leaving home for greater things seemed so far away. Today it seems like I will blink and it will be Ashleigh’s time, or Haylee’s and I just cant even imagine!

We have hope as our Senior starts this year {I still cant believe Hunter will be 18} that it will mean he comes here for college, and will give us more time with him. But any parent of a teenager knows what that means. A swift blowing into your house quickly and the right back out! Time is moving at such a rapid pace, sometimes I am not sure I am ready for everything that’s coming! In one month we will have two with drivers licenses, and one with a permit! It seems like just yesterday when I got my own first car!

So today, I am not drinking mimosa’s to celebrate. I am crying as I drive to the gym thinking of how fast it has all gone by. Thinking of that little girl who got on her first bus with a heart drawn on her hand by her momma, so she would not feel lonely in her big kindergarten class. Today I think of all the moms and dads who only have 52 Saturdays left with their senior, or the ones who don’t have any Saturdays left! I think of all those kids heading off to start their own path in college and the ones starting new in high schools, and even the little ones I know who are riding that big yellow bus for the first time. Remember how fast it goes, remember how amazing all the small moments are, and remember to enjoy those Saturdays!

I was at Publix about 8 years ago {I know this because Haylee was two}. And this sweet older woman stopped me in the freezer section and looked at Haylee and told me to remember this, and enjoy it, that its the sweetest age. At the time, I thought she was crazy! I mean its the terrible two’s y’all, and if you know Haylee then you can only imagine her at two. But now, I see how right she was. Every stage is crazy, and busy, and sometimes I think it cant get any busier, and then somehow it does. But, looking back, I also see how sweet and messy, and perfect it is too! She was right, except she did not just mean it for two year olds, she means it for all those ages. Its just so sweet…

So! Good luck to all the students today, new and old{er}. I hope its an amazing year for all of you! And to the moms and dads, good luck in the homework trenches, the luck trenches, and the college trenches! Its a crazy messy journey, but how lucky are we?!?!

And to Ash, and Hay, and Hunter and Cam, I hope this is the best year ever! I hope that you accomplish those goals, and push harder then you ever have, and I hope you have FUN bc adulting aint easy! and it will be here before you blink your eyes!!

Sweet Ashleigh and Haylee on Ash’s first day of kindergarten…Ok, I am off to cry some more….

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