First day of school today went a little somethin’ like this…
We took the usual family pictures.
You know, the photos where they’re all sitting pretty and smiling sweetly?
It makes their Momma so proud. Yeah okay…let’s go to school.
And then I slipped down our porch steps on the way out the door.I will be sporting some lovely bruises from my shoulder to my knee and let’s not forget the bloody thumbnail which kept me in touch with my pulse rate the rest of the day, dear God….the throbbing. Why do finger injuries always hurt so darn much? My husband had a hard time asking me if I was okay through his laughter. Did I not mention it took me at least 45 minutes to end the fall? I’m exaggerating of course, but you know what I mean, right? No. You don’t? Okay, well for those of you that haven’t spent a lifetime falling up and down stairs, let me tell you. This was one of those falls that I spent three steps slipping and nearly recovering before actually succumbing to the fall which then scooted me half way off the step just missing the giant planter with the iron cone thing that could have made me into a human shishkabob. When I got to the van my daughter was laughing at me and I was just moaning because…my thumb…ow,ow,ow. She asked me if she wanted me to drive, but I told her, “No, I need to drive to distract myself from the pain.”
And oh, the pain…my heart, it fell out of my chest and bounced across the parking lot taking this baby to Kindergarten. Clay cries every year when we take the kids to school. He can’t help it. It means his kids are growing up. I usually have to console him, but today I took our youngest, our baby to school. I had to hug and kiss him really fast so he wouldn’t see me crying. It’s the first time I’ve cried about one of my children going to school.
And the flood gates were opened. So, my sweet husband who was also a bit of a mess took me out for breakfast.
This is probably the best breakfast spot in town. They have French Toast the size of France…I know, I’m so clever. They also have cute waiters and great coffee and good old boys that sit around drinking that coffee while talking about the price of motors very loudly.
Warm blueberry scone and warm, blue, throbbing thumb…delicious! When Clay asked me what I was going to do until I had to pick up the infant-tiny-baby-boy from Kindergarten I said I might stop by the hospital to get an MRI of my body to see how many bones I broke falling down those RICKIN’ FRICKIN’ PORCH STEPS!!! But, other than that…not much.
And to wrap up the morning…I locked my keys in the van. I know. I was busy blowing my nose and dabbing tears and searching for change for the parking meter. So, Clay had to drive me all the way home to get the extra key. On the way back to town we had a little conversation about how many times he’s had to rescue me in the last three years and I was certain it was more than twelve, “….and would you mind following me to the gas station because the van probably won’t make it and, you know, I don’t want you to come allll the way back and…..rescue me.” It’s a good thing he loves me. This was undeniably a painful day.
Need a Chicken Doctor?
Contact 
oh man.. what a day
Next Wednesday I bring my baby daughter to her first day of kindergarten… my heart is breaking into a billion pieces already and I’m always near the verge of tears. I keep telling my husband that maybe we shouldn’t send her, that kindergarten isn’t mandatory, that she’d more happier at home and and and…. he told me, I had to let her grow up… what? me?? I don’t want her to grow up!!!! Ugh. I think I will be crying the first day of school every year from now on as my baby grows up….
They grow up so fast, faster than my heart allows. The sun may rise and fall, and day to night, but my memory will always be of her little hand in my hand, and little giggles, and snuggles in bed. Her innocence, the questions, the curiosity, the humour and her little sing-song voice. Always in my memory, forever in my heart. – me 2010
p.s. I sure do hope you feel better soon
I fell down on the first day of school too. Only I was AT the school.
In a dress.
And a thong.
I am now the most popular mom at school.
Love it, course not ALL Mommies wear a thong well…
Good for you for taking it in stride
Michelle, YOU ARE AWESOME!!! Clay and I have been saying, “In a dress. And a thong.” to each other since we read your comment. Priceless.
I only have one child, a son. When he went to Kindergarten I didn’t cry. This year he is going to High School and I’m already a wreck. He starts tomorrow. I wish tomorrow wouldn’t come so quickly.
The first day my son went to kindergarten, he cracked his head open, and you know how head wounds bleed. Yeah… the entire faculty knew him by 10 a.m., and I got my first (of many) phone call of the year.
Awwww! That is a crappy day! But you’re past it. It’s done. You made it and literally have war wounds.
And I just have to say, Michelle, I LOL’d at your experience, but I also have to high five you, too, because if you can admit that, you are tha bomb.
That First Day….. oh my!
She gave us a hug and a kiss and waved good-bye ! So confidently…
Then I slipped the teacher my cell phone number. Said CALL ME IF ANYTHING…
Then my husband and I held each other up as we left the school. What a day (morning really) I think I cleaned the car, really, really well.
She was fine… we were fine too.
Maybe it’s time to have another baby.
As always, I love the way you tell things of current life. It is full of light each time.
))
In france, the day to go back to school is today. My son is 11 years old and he go in his new school that in france we call … collège ! To explain quickly, from 3 to 6 years, they go to the “maternelle”. From 6 to 10 years, they go to “école primaire”, from 11 to 15 years, they go to “Collège”, from 16 to 18, they go to “Lycée”.
What you call College is called here as “Université”.
So for my son, it’s his first year in Collège. I’m very proud of myself … I haven’t cry !!! I’m becoming big, that’s good !!
Friendly,
Axelle,
I always love your comments, I can hear your accent in them. Thanks for sharing your culture with me, I find that fascinating.
An american friend told me once, that french accent was very pleasant to hear !! While I was trying so hard to have the US accent !! Lol !!
I suppose it is as beautiful as when an american speaks french with his accent : it is like music, I adore that.
I think Clay can’t complain about having to drive all the way home to get the extra key because he should have had one on his key ring! Really, it’s his fault, not yours. Ha ha.
One time my mom came out from a restaurant with me and when we got to her car we realized that she had left it running the whole time we were eating! We both drove up about the same time and I obviously distracted her when she was getting out of her car.
Jen, you are now my best friend. I told Clay he should have a van key on his keyring and we debated that all the way home….I’m copying your comment, framing it and putting it in my “APRIL IS ALWAYS RIGHT!” album.
I only have one child, and I don’t think I ever cried on a first day of school, until the dreaded day . . . . we moved her into her college dorm. We only had 3 hours with her since she had band practice that day, and I cried All. The. Way. Home. 3 1/2 hours. Non-Stop. Constantly. And then I was over it. I didn’t cry again until I saw her on the 50 yd line, performing in front of 94,000 people. Now, she’s graduated college and living back at home. And I’m crying again . . .
Oh Tracy….
I remember the pain but now for reality – you have a quiet house during the day for 9 whole months.
You made me laugh and cry in the space of 2 seconds – a rare gift! I read a fair number of blogs, but I get the most laughs from yours.
Before I had my daughter I never could understand why parents would cry when their child went off to school. Of course I cried like a baby when my one and only got on the bus for kindergarten and have cried (albeit a bit more reservedly) every year since. First year of high school this year – can’t believe it!
I intentionally did not walk my fourth child to the room for kindergarten because I didn’t want to cry and make her cry. So, I dropped her off in the loop and drove away. She stopped at the door and yelled “I love you Mommy!” Immediately my cell phone rang and another mom friend jokingly says – What kind of mother drops her kindergartener off in the loop on the first day? Mind you her junior high siblings walked her to class and she never cried about going to school. It was like ripping off a band-aid and I still feel a little guilty.
April, I feel your pain……..except I fell OUT of the shower. Was nearly a case of “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” My 4-year-old came to my rescue, but was more concerned about me putting the shower curtain back up. The dog also came…..he just licked my head.
In the past 3 weeks my oldest got married, my 18-year old daughter is heading off to college, and last week my baby started pre-school. I have cried and cried about all 3. More about my baby boy going to pre-school, he has been my shadow for 4 years
You did have an eventful day!
I slipped down the stairs in my house once, as if I were sliding down a slide while on my back. And I was naked. Ooh, the carpet burns!
When I put my youngest on the bus for his first day of Kindergarten I was a mess. I kept it together until the bus drove away and then the sobbing began. Of course I was videotaping the big event and as the bus pulls away the camera starts shaking and you can here my pathetic whimpering. Oh, how the family loves to replay that video! My baby is now 18 and he goes to college next year. I tear up just thinking about it.
Sorry about your fall. I am 50 and I find the older I get the more the stupid fall hurts my aging body.
See, Michelle has assured you that it could, indeed, have been worse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We love our babies, don’t we? Mine is near perfect.
If I fell in a dress and a thong well, let’s just say, there’d be a big movement to homeschooling in this district
Is he also made of sugar??????????
Ok April I can help you…well not with all your issues (haha) just the locking the keys in the car thing. Get a small piece of heavy wire(plastic coated wire works well) and get Clay to wire a spare key underneath the frame of the car and tuck it out of the way. Just make sure you know where it is-that could be another comedy of errors! You might have to get down on your hands and knees to untwist the wire to retrieve it but it is always there for when you lock your keys in the car. When I got my first car this is what my Dad did for me (well, he probably did it to save himself a trip) and I still keep a spare key under the car. You could also use one of those heavy duty magnetic key boxes too! Good Luck! Hope your bruises heal.
Okay, must share my cry story. I always thought you were supposed to cry when you took your first child to school. But we ended up taking our baby to school FIRST. His big sister had been homeschooled for kindergarten and first grade and then we moved overseas and she was starting 2nd grade at an international school. EXCEPT little brother’s pre-school (for language acquisition purposes) started first. I thought it so unfair that I had to take my baby to school first–and it was a completely foreign environment in a language he didn’t yet know. What kind of mother was I????? Oh, yes. I cried.
much sadder and much more filled with angst than my own story…. So sorry.
Ow, ouch! That breakfast looks luscious!
Girl, you’ve got lots of years to go! My only son graduated this past May so be happy you’re not in my shoes! Hope the thumb is feeling better by now… as well as your bones!
Be Careful!!!! I missed the last step on our deck last year, twisted my foot just right underneath me, and broke it!! It can happen.
Last year, when my oldest went to kinder, I cried the week before school at the meet-the-teacher-night in front of the teacher. I had to walk out as my sobbing was distracting… Oh dear, the sheer angst of it all.
April
If you were short, falling would be easier and more stylish for you. When short people fall, they just sort of crumple and everyone comes running to see if they’re OK and try to pick them up. When we tall folks hit the dirt, everyone runs, yelling “timberrrrrr.” I’m 63 and tall. It doesn’t get any better. I had problems a couple of years ago and went to a physical therapist to have her show me how to get up off the ground if I fell. She was 5 feet tall. She said, “carry your cell phone at all times and call 911, they’ll send the fire department.”
I had my front steps redone so they’re only 6 inches high and 24 inches deep (you can push a walker up them), with good solid railings on both sides. If the little people keep giving you sass, just use them to cushion your fall.
Sorry ’bout your day – but I’m really here because I just read your “about”page and I had to tell you – I’m six feet tall too!! So you know why I had to tell you. When us sisters find each other, we have to meet! I, also, am taller than my sister and my parents. And everyone else in my fam for that matter. And if you’ll take a look at my email address, you’ll see why I get comments about my name, too. Most common name in the US. That’s me.
My firstborn started Kindergarten last year (I can’t believe it went so fast) and I didn’t want him to see me cry when he got on the bus, so I kept it together. When we got back to the house, I escaped to the laundry room to throw in a load and got stung by a yellow jacket. As much as that hurt, I was grateful. God gave me an excuse to bawl my eyes out for the next hour as my mom and husband watched me with worried expressions. I was then able to cry and blame it on my stung and swollen hand the rest of the week as I sent my boy off to Kindergarten each day. Your horribly hilarious fall was just God’s way of giving you the excuse you needed to cry as much as you needed over the coming days as you adjust : ) God Bless.
I cried nearly every year from K-HS. Then there are college graduations, engagements, weddings, grandbabies. Lots of “good” tears through the years!
Oh, heavens! You are so funny and this situation is sooooo me (except for the car rescue thing). I’m laughing just thinking about what you wrote.
I’m always tumbling and hurting myself. My family shows me the same sympathies you get. Our younger son usually adds oh so lovingly, “And she sticks the landing!” Bless his wee heart. ::sigh::
I cried watching my baby girl climb up the school bus steps on her first day of school. Two weeks ago I cried when she drove off to start her senior year of COLLEGE. Then I cried on Monday morning when our first baby walked away through airport security to take her from MN to Cincinnati .. where she lives.
And I cried when my son left drove away to college two weeks ago….I don’t think it will EVER end!
Gives new meaning to LOL. I literally was.