Smells Like School

My sisters and I walked to elementary school everyday.  We would meet our friends at the stop sign on the corner and walk the familiar path to school; capturing rolly polly bugs to keep in our desks or seeing how long we could kick the same rock to and from school. 

When school began in the late summer, the mornings would all of a sudden become crisp and cool.  It was like a switch was turned on and "school weather" started. The air smelled different. It smelled like corduroy pants, new trapper keepers, and new pencils. It simply smelled like school. 

This morning I woke up for our 4am feeding and felt a chill in the air. I stuck my nose to the window screen and breathed in deeply...it smelled like school.  When did the switch happen? While I fed Everdeen I felt a little sad that this wasn't my first day of school eve. All of my Kinder teammates would be getting up soon, choosing their first day of school outfits, and setting off to begin a new school year. A clean slate...a new year with new adventures, new possibilities, new opportunities. 

{First day of Kindergarten 2009}

This year I have a long term sub starting my class for me. I can't be there to greet my new little friends.  I can't help them through the lunch line for the first time or make sure their tears stop when they realize mom and dad aren't staying.  

I am of course beyond thrilled to be staying home with our little girl for as long as I can. When I complain that I had to get up every two hours in the wee morning hours my sister reminds me that, "At least you don't have to go to work in the morning!" It's true. I am thankful.  

And soon enough I will have my first day of school...just a little later than normal.  So for now, I will continue to snuggle with my baby and breathe in her baby smell and think only occasionally of the class that is waiting for me. 

And to my teammates...Happy First Day of Kindergarten! It's going to be a great year :)