The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

I'm not sure whether to break down in tears or bust open a bottle of champagne. I'll have to settle for a double stuff oreo. Here's why:

This afternoon at 2:00 Maggie, Ian and I walked up to the corner of our block for the kindergarten bus stop trial run. Yes, I did say kindergarten and I did say bus...neither of which I am super excited about. They do this excessively suburbian, yet super cool thing in our neighborhood. You go to your bus stop, ride up to the clubhouse with your parent and other kids, then all hop off and have ice cream before returning back to your stop. So sweet, and so great for kids and parents so we can try to get used to this whole idea of our little ones going to school all day every day.

Don't get me wrong, I think Maggie is ready for this. I can't entertain her or involve her enough right now. She needs more and she's excited. I think I'm ready too, but sometimes I just get overwhelmed with the thought of bringing her home from the hospital five years ago or teaching her the alphabet or how to paint her fingernails. I know I will still be doing this stuff with her, but it's not the same and I know it.

As I walked home from the bus stop I wondered if I were going to cry. Just as I was trying to decide (how cerebral of me) it started to rain. Not a scary rain; more like a comforting rain. Kind of like a rain while you're at Disney World...you're sad that it's raining on your (literal) parade, but at the same time it feels so darn good and you realize how much you needed it. That's kinda what I feel like about this whole school thing. But of course I can't let on one iota with Maggie because kids can smell fear a mile away.

So on Thursday, August 28th I'll take my sweet girl to the bus stop (maybe) or school (definitely) and kiss her goodbye. I'll cry, no doubt, while I'm coming home, but I'll also have a couple glorious hours to myself that I haven't had in about 15 months. That is, if I can get the twins to nap at the same time...