On that note...

Yesterday, parents all over Oregon did little happy dances…today, it’s my turn.

Kids returned to school yesterday, after the two-week, holiday break. My preschool parents were wreathed in smiles when they delivered their children. Quick kisses and hugs (their children, not me—although, I’m sure they felt like hugging me)…see you in two and a half hours…fa la la la la, la la la la!

This isn’t to imply that parents don’t enjoy being home with their children; it’s to acknowledge the fact that parents also enjoy being home without their children. Two weeks is a long time, for parents and kids alike, especially when everyone is used to the social/physical outlets school provides. Oh…along with the learning aspect…the learning’s important too.

I actually had a wonderful time with my family during the holidays. J was home from the University of Oregon, my aunt visited one weekend, and my parents were here for a week. We watched my nephews wrestle one day, played a ton of board games, mastered difficult crossword puzzles (woohoo Internet search engines), took long walks with The Beasts, and indulged in morning Sudoku (which was far less intimate than it sounds).

Sure, the JAM kids argued, sometimes multiple times in the same minute, multiple times a day. Which led to moments of me wondering why children ever need breaks from school, but overall, it was a great two weeks.

Sunday, J returned to UO (always a difficult good-bye), and yesterday, A, M, and I returned to school. I was thrilled to see my students and hear their exciting holiday stories—I had really missed them. However, I understood the looks on their parents’ faces, the excitement they could barely contain…I’m probably lucky any of them returned for pick up.

But today, it’s my turn…my face mirrors theirs. I don’t work on Tuesdays and Thursdays—this is the first time in three weeks that I’ve had the house to myself.

I’m listening to a Kenny G holiday CD, surrounded by decorations I need to take down. I’ll do that later…right now, I’m savoring the last quiet moments of holiday thoughts, traditions and blessings. Sometimes, it’s hard to do that in the midst of the holiday crush…

Maybe I’ll take a walk with The Beasts, maybe I’ll do one last Sudoku puzzle, maybe I’ll finish the book I started last week. Or maybe, realistically, I’ll clean the house, finish lesson plans, write thank you notes and make lasagna for dinner.

But, for the moment…life and decisions can wait until Kenny G’s last note…fa la la la la, la la la la :)