Too Wonderful For Anybody to Realize You

The thing about children is that they grow up too quickly (and they'll laugh at anything).

One minute you're snorting up their Newborn Head Scent in the hospital, the next minute you're sending them out into the cold, cruel world wearing a cartoon backpack that's bigger than they are.

I dropped Olivia and Macey off for their first day of school this morning at 7:15.

[I'm not going to complain about how early school starts here. Not complaining, not complaining, not complaining...GAH! School starts at SEVEN FIFTEEN A.M. in Tennessee! I live 1.6 miles from the school (it's on my running route, I've clocked it) and the bus picks them up at 6:15! Yeah, SIX. FIFTEEN. It is cruel and unusual.]

Aren't they darling in their little collared shirts* and skorts? You know what I don't get about that angel statue? What is the school trying to communicate by placing this in their garden? School sucks so bad, even the angels hate it? I bet they stole that statue from a mortuary.
I think I will sneak over there tonight, ninja kick their statue over and replace it with a statue of something a little more appropriate. Like a statue of this:Anyway. After walking the girls to their classes I made a mad dash to my car so that no one would see me crying like a total DORK. That's also when I started thinking about Thornton Wilder.

Warning: I am about to commence a philosophical tangent. You can tell by the italics and parentheses.

(Have you guys ever seen or read Our Town by Thornton Wilder? If not, put it in your queue of things to read. Don't worry, it's short. I won't ruin the ending for you like I ruined Inception. However, in the story one of the main characters (who has died) comes to a realization that no one appreciates life while they are living it. She says:

"I can't go on. It goes so fast. We don't have time to look at one another. I didn't realize. So all that was going on and we never noticed. Take me back — up the hill — to my grave. But first: Wait! One more look. Good-by, Good-by, world. Good-by Grover's Corners...Mama and Papa. Good-by to clocks ticking...and Mama's sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new ironed dresses and hot baths...and sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you. ...Do human beings ever realize life while they live it? — Every, every minute?"

Sometimes trying to enjoy the simple things feels like trying to eat ice cream while you're brushing your teeth. Trying to read to Chancho, but I have to fold laundry. Trying to play with Macey before she's too old to want to, but I have to fill out this paperwork. Trying to call my parents, but I need to cook dinner. Why does life pass by so quickly? It's painful. )

Resume the usual foolishness.

Um, I guess that was all I had for today.

The end.

No, wait! I have some more foolishness up my sleeve!

*Collared shirts! They are mandatory at my girls' new school. They aren't allowed to wear t-shirts (or flip flops, by the way). At first I thought, "Laaaaaaame," because I'm really articulate in my brain. And then I thought, "I should be grateful that they have a dress code in Tennessee." And then I saw what Olivia's teacher was wearing:

Un. Fair. And Laaaaaaaaaaaaame. I didn't say anything to my kids because I try not to infect them with my surly, rebellious attitude. And then Macey came home and reported that her teacher was wearing a tank top. (Gasp!) Her first lesson learned in first grade: Adults can do WHATEVER THE HE** THEY WANT.

Really The End.