last first day of school

Sara, Carmel High School Class of 2011

Last first day of school for Mom.  Last awkward photo moment, but they always played along.  Last morning with that lump in my throat and a few tears in my eyes as I send one of my babies off to school. Not once in the 16 years of first days of school have I been the mom jumping for joy.  Many of the ones when they were in grade school I'd feel a little guilty thinking we hadn't done all the crafts and been all the places I wanted to take them over summer vacation.  But I learned to let that angst go.  I've repeated the mantra "you were present" over and over comforting myself that I had the privilege to stay home with them and we did "do" most everything we could.  And we probably did even more.  Greg and I hold the family vacations, the family dinners and even the family bike rides around the neighborhood as the highlights of our life together. (That last sentence really did it and the memories flood in and the tears well and if I don't pull it together I'll have to stop typing).   So lucky to have it all to treasure.
I should share some favorite back to school traditional recipes with you, but really the morning picture is the only religiously observed tradition.

Tonight will most likely be pizza on the grill.  Kelly is home for another week before she heads back to Purdue.  My kitchen will be serving all the favorites before it's back to sorority house dining for her.  I'll be baking bread this evening for the daily peanut butter and honey sandwiches that Sara will take every day and most likely eat in the HiLite room while she's busy being Editor in Chief of the CHS newspaper this year. It's time to workout and then it will be time to get out the bread machine.  I do know how to fill up the day!  I am embracing feeding my family while they are under my roof.