Third Grade

Despite the fact that she does NOT have my permission to do so, Amanda Kay continues to grow up. Today was the first day of 3rd grade and despite the cursory "I don't like school" comments she thinks all kids are supposed to make, she didn't have any reservations about going back to school. She was stylin' with her new clothes, High School Musical 2 book bag and her elbow sling!

I am always sad to see school start again. Besides the obvious (like getting an education), I know it is healthy for Amanda to develop her "own life" with her own friends, away from us for awhile, etc, but do I have to like it? I am a family man through and through. I would love to be on "family vacation" year around, just the three of us traveling and making memories together. Of course we make memories during the school year, too, but school just seems like such an imposition on family time. I certainly am not "Mr. Spontaneous", but I like staying up late to watch a movie together, or go for a bike ride after it cools off in the evening, going to Dairy Queen or whatever without having to worry about "no time because of homework" and "we've got to get home so you can get a bath and get into bed for school tomorrow". School trumps family fun, and I don't like it.

Being on her own at school is healthy for Amanda and she LOVES being around her friends (like her Momma, she's a 'people person'), it's just an adjustment for me. I know Amanda gets bored during the summer not having people to play with and having to hang out at church while we work, but I miss having her around. It will all be OK in another week or so, but I'm just a little mopey right now. I'm looking forward to the three day weekend this weekend. We're camping with Geama and PaPa D, so we've got some family fun ahead of us!