School drop-off, a Blogher response

Currently, we have icy pavement, muddy grass, chilly air, and a lot of mittens, hats and coats to track on our way to school. Post-holiday, we are a little slower with lunches, back packs and gym shoes, but... both my boys, the preschooler and the kindergartner, head off cheerfully and ready to start their days. My high school freshman is a little more reluctant, leggings under her uniform skirt, back pack so heavy with homework that I don't know how she makes it into the school, she does head out, encouraged by her involvement with youth group, class council, and indoor lacrosse :-) later in the day. Of course, the three year old is with me - happy to have her one on one time, though full of warm weather memories - days on which she would "help" me get the boys to school (daddy having driven the teen). Way back when school first started, it WAS sunny and warm - everyone still tanned and rested from summer. Back then, it was light and people chatted and played on the playground, walked the neighborhood, met for coffee - love that our little school in an urban neighborhood has that feel to it. Now, it is so dark - streets stained with salt (but the snow all melted ;-(, so we all head back home, like hermits, to our fires and our coffee ;-).

So .... meditating on the photo of warm weather fun - laughing (again) at the sweet little paper and marker "friends" hanging on the wall welcoming us back during "back to school season" - AND looking forward, in this new year :-), to helping kindergarten with some winter crafts, my teen's birthday, a skiing outing on the horizon, my three year old's return to her "morning out" program, and a big gymnastic party for the preschooler this coming weekend. All good. All school stuff :-).