back to school, 2014 (part 1)

as cliche as it may be, i have to begin this post by saying

where in the heck did summer go?

just a couple of days ago, they stepped off the bus for the last day of school. i blinked a few times, slept in once, and now i am taking pictures of them getting on the bus again. congress needs to pass some legislation to slow july and august down. this has to stop.

however i feel about the fluidity of time (i am thinking of you, Dad and Uncle Jim), the cold, hard truth is that i drove away from that bus stop with an empty minivan, now the parent of a 2nd grader, a 4th grader, and (next week) a preschooler.

this really has to stop.

still, as much as the passage of time confounds and dizzies me, i love the beginning of a new school year: the smell of unsharpened pencils and the curves of a clean desk. there is the promise of wonder and exploration and learning. this is the first step of a new adventure; an educational road trip with sojourners and trail guides and breathtaking views, punctuating the step-by-step rhythm that isn't so much about getting somewhere in particular as it is about discovering the joy in the journey. so, in the midst of projects and vinyl bus seats and math sheets and memorization, my prayer for my children is for adventure and wonder; for discovery and a daring to ask the questions that will open up new vistas. it's going to be a great year!

and maybe, by next year, we will have figured out how to extend summer just a bit.

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