Wednesday, August 11, 2010

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.

4 comments:

Meegan, the Evil Stepmother said...

If I were Macey, I would start a rebellion. The kids have a dress code, but the teachers dress like they're going to a movie? I DON'T THINK SO! Then again, if I had taken the competency test required for graduation and passed it (like john jr did) as a sophomore, I would be hard pressed to show up for my junior year. But I'm a rebel like that. Stupid hoops we jump through...

And...does your school have a full-blown uniform, or just the uber rigid dress code? And PLEASE tell me you can drop them off in the mornings (thus avoiding the ungodly 6:15 bus). I will immediately stop whining about our 8 AM start time, which I thought was bad. What time do they get out, 1:30? Sheesh. I need to call you...

Tawny said...

They did look wonderfully adorable in their cute school clothes.
I am going to call you soon and whine a little that you are not living HERE by me where I can randomly show up and invade :(

Elise said...

Their school doesn't do uniforms-- just shirts with collars, no flip flops, and no happiness. A lot of the other schools around here use uniforms, so they are WAY cheaper than normal clothes. Naturally I bought uniforms for them. They love it. I love it. Everyone's happy.

I haven't put them on the bus yet. I might, though. It takes me about 45 minutes to drop them off or pick them up because the car lines are so long. It's quite a circus. You'd be impressed with how organized it is, though. They have a whole intercom/valet system worked out.

Marie Says Yes said...

There are just too many "Ghaw!" gasps of horror in this post for words. Orange tanktop, lady? Like, for real?! WHERE IS YOUR COLLAR?!?! And 6:15... that is so wicked I think it's a sign of the end of the world. May you survive this coming school year.
P.S. Thanks for the Our Town tangent and the sniffles created. You and Thorton can be so deep sometimes.