Where I live, newly-incoming high school freshman and junior high sixth graders, along with the elementary kids officially begin their school year one day before the rest of the students. So that put my family in a funky position--child #2 (an incoming freshman) and my 2nd grader attended school yesterday, leaving my senior and 7th grader starting today. Topping it all off, Hurricane Irene pushed them back an extra day.
Regardless......can you hear the quiet at my house? Ahh...
In honor of all this quiet, I put together a silly writers' list of "ables" and "not-so-ables"--how I'll utilize my time.
On the first Back To School day, I'll finally be able to: turn my computer on without hearing "Mom, he hit me! Mom, she ate all the cereal. Mom, Mom, Mom..."
On the second Back To School day, I'll finally be able to: drink my coffee warm without microwaving it 8 million times.
On the third Back To School day, I'll come back to reality: turn the computer off and fill out all the ($%^&@#$%) paper work the school insists on sending home, despite living in the digital age. (Save a tree, already.)
On the fourth Back To School day, I'll have no choice but to: rest my aching hands from filling out those forms on day three.
On the fifth Back To School day, I'll finally be able to: peek at my outline for my YA story, then rush to the athletic meetings for Fall sports--the ones, because I have four kids, I've already attended in the past 10x!
On the sixth Back To School day, I'll finally be able to: W--R--I--I--I--T--E. *pom-pom cheers 4 me*
On the seventh Back To School day, I'll be forced to: trudge through the elementary, junior high, and high school, attending yet my umpteenth OPEN HOUSE!
On the eighth Back To School day, I'll be forced to: pick up kids at three different schools, attend a X-country meet and girls' soccer practice, and explain (again) to my 2nd grader why he can't play Xbox in school.
On the ninth Back To School day, I'll finally break: and decide to write a letter to the editor of our local newspaper stating: ***There should be a reprieve from paper work and lame meeting attendance for parents with multiple children.***
On the tenth Back To School day, I'll finally be able to: see hope and gain my bearings.
On the eleventh Back To School day, I'll finally be able to: begin to adjust, seeing my writing time renewed. Characters will inspire me, new scenes will flood my brain. I'll crack my knuckles and exhale.
And on the twentieth Back To School day, I'll be able to say: "A new school year for them and a new writing season for me. And this is my year!"
What about you? Can you see the light through all the fallen trees that block your writing road?
I can so relate to this. My daughter starts high school on Tuesday and has swim practice at 6:00 am and at that time 3 days a week through most of November. We're already dealing with 2 practices a day. I feel like overwhelmed is my middle name. Next week is really bad and I just want to survive it. I hope it slows down so I can squeeze in writing.
ReplyDeleteI love it! Though I work outside the home during the day, back to school means they're in bed by 8PM. Woohoo!
ReplyDeleteLove your enthusiasm!
I still had paperwork but this year they had most of the info typed in! So I didn't have to fill info - the same info - for 3 kids! So I got to writing the first day they were back. It was nice. :) Funny post.
ReplyDeleteOh, my. I suddenly feel like I have it easy. LOL! My oldest is in 2nd grade and my youngest is starting pre-k. This will be my first time home without babies in almost 8 years. I'm a tiny bit excited. >_<
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, I mean, writing.
ReplyDeleteThis was clever! I wish you wonderful writing time with warm coffee.
I can't help but wonder where you find the energy for all that. Just hearing about it makes me tired!
ReplyDeleteHmmm ... I hear ya! BUT -- not only do I get to fill out all the forms and attend all those open house meetings, I also have to pass out the forms, collect the forms, and run my own open house, plus teach the students all day. I haven't written a word since school started on Tuesday. :(
ReplyDeleteAll creativity's been sucked out of me in one long whooooosh!
Yay for you! I can see you've looking forward to the time. I don't have kids, but the summer always seems crazy. This autumn seems just as crazy, too!
ReplyDeleteIt'll be good in that I won't have to shuttle the kids all around town. I can get stuff done. And not have to nuke my coffee ten times per cup.
ReplyDeleteOh I remember those days. When we first moved here from Ireland my head was spinning with all the paperwork I was given to do and the meetings I had to attend. I also have four. Our second school year here each child was in a different school! That was so much fun!!!!! I spent most of my time in the car trying to focus on driving on the wrong side of the road. :)
ReplyDeleteYay back to school! I can't wait to have some time to write (all by myself, without anyone asking me for this or that)!
ReplyDeleteForms, open houses... seems like a lot of work to send your kids to school!
ReplyDeleteLOL! Yay for back to school! Sometimes I can't see the light through the fallen trees that block the road to writing. :( Love that analogy, perfect! Time to pull out the chainsaw.
ReplyDeleteAh. "This is my year." The famous line, uttered year after year...
ReplyDeleteLOVED this!!! And those #$%^$^^$$ forms!!
ReplyDeleteI wish back-to-school time was like that for me. Majorly jealous!! :-)
ReplyDeleteAs a junior high teacher and author, I am right there with you! The beginning of year is as hard on the teachers as the parents!
ReplyDeleteThis is your year! Good luck making it to day 20. :)
ReplyDeleteLol love it! So true!
ReplyDeleteThe school year is so busy for us, too! I thought I'd get more writing done than in summer, but so far it's been less. So frustrating!
ReplyDeleteI'm actually getting more writing time than normal so far this year. My daughter goes to school at 7 and has play practice after school until 6. I'm :) getting a lot done.
ReplyDeleteCheers to that, fellow mommy writer! Ahhh.... school days are writing days, and oh how I've missed them. Summers are so tough. I didn't get anything done this summer at all, but that's ok. Now is our time!v Yay for school!!!
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong, I like kids and love my own, but I'm SO GLAD that they are all grown and done with this stuff. At least I was, until grandkids starting going to school.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and so true!