End of summer blues

So apparently while I wasn’t looking August happened.  One day I was lounging around, reading my Kindle, thinking we had the whole summer to watch PBS Kids, memorize every line from The Iron Giant and the witty songs from  Veggie Tails and basically do nothing.  Then I turned the page on my day planner (yes, I still use one that you actually write in) and it was August.  Worse yet…school starts in 14 days.  14 DAYS.  I’m not sure if I’m thrilled or terrified.

The great internal struggle that stay-at-home-moms understand all too well begins again.  Same song, different verse.  As the school year looms I realize that I didn’t do all the things with my precious cargo that I intended to.  The Groupon for the museum hasn’t been used.  Those laser tag certificates that I bought at last year’s school carnival silent auction are still in my wallet.  We haven’t jumped off the high dive yet.  And what about the Staycation?  For the love of over-scheduling, we didn’t have an organized staycation!  In my defense, my butt wasn’t totally lazy.  We camped out in the back yard, went to art day-camp and visited the grandparents.  It wasn’t all Mind Craft and Lego Star Wars.

Still, while I finished novels that are as thick as the Beijing phonebook (as my friend likes to say) childhood slips through my fingers.  14 short days and we start 3rd grade.  3rd grade is on the other side of the school as the younger grades.  Gasp, we’re moving up to the big-kid side of the school.  When did this happen?  Addison is about 6 inches from being as tall as I am.  Wha…who….when….how….my babies are inching away from me! It’s so bitter sweet.  I already know how the first day of school will go; he’ll let us walk him to his class and take a picture but may not hold my hand.  I’ll drive away and willingly torture myself by listening to Slipping Through My Fingers by ABBA.  If you ever need a good cry…play that song on the first day of school and you’ll be a blubbering mess.  It’s ridiculous.

On the flip side it will be nice to not hear the “I’m Bored” song anymore.  That damn song can really test the patience of the most inventive and creative parent.

What really has me scared is my own schedule.  As usual I’ve got myself involved in everything.  I’m on the PTA board and chairing our school jog-a-thon this year.  I’m on the Assistance League board (thankfully my position is stupid simple…knock on wood) and Operation School Bell starts in a few weeks.  They only require 4 OSB shifts but I’ve probably signed up for about 20.  I have big plans for my fabric mosaics, keep an eye out for that, and I’ve unofficially committed to make yarn wreaths for the church ladies bazaar.  Oh geez.  On top of all this I’ve agreed to be the interim youth director for the middle school kids at our church.  *your mouth is hanging open*  Yup, middle school kids.  Please say a prayer for me.  For the love, I have no idea what to do with gangly, pimply, overly emotional, socially awkward 13 and 14 year olds.  Oh laud, help me.  At least I put my foot down and said I could only do the middle school and not the high school too.  But that’s only because the high school program would interfere with choir rehearsal and choir is closest to my heart.

I feel like Ado Annie, I just cain’t say “no”.

If I got a call tomorrow saying that the president of Egypt has been ousted and they need an interim until they figure out their political strife I would probably give a cheery yes.  Only after I’ve committed to who knows what would I wonder afterward if they give job hazard pay as whoever takes the job as interim president will most certainly lose their life.

Am I insane?  Don’t answer that.