^^^Back 2 School^^^

Picture it. Chelsea, Alabama. The first day of school for my kids. I being the fantastic mom that I am always on standby with the digi cam was having a total and complete freakout making sure I had bookbags like I like 'em and snacks packed and lunch money and all that crazy stuff for the first big day back to school. We were pulling out of the driveway and it hit me. "Ah crap." I guess I said this out loud. Ty looks at me. "What's wrong?" How do I answer this after 6 years of being the doting mom forever with the cam the first day of school? "Um, I forgot to take a pic of you and your brother before we left the house. Guess I'll snap one this afternoon when you get off the bus--you know, all hot and sweaty." And that's exactly what I did. To add to my sense of failure I'm browsing one of my BFFs MySpace page today and see she has 593 new pics of her son's first day of Kindergarten...everything from house to school to pics with the teacher. I suck. Tyler's at the age where I don't walk him in the first day anymore though; he knows the drill and thanks to our meet-the-teacher deals he always knows where to go. Evan, I walk in the first day still b/c he's the baby, but day 2 he was all, "Ok, you don't have to walk me in today, I'm good, I know where to go, you can take me thru the drop-off line." Good thing b/c I was not looking like going inside the building that particular morning!! I guess that happens as they grow up some, it's not that the first day of school is any less important or any less of a big deal to you as a mom, it's just that you know what to expect and so do they so it becomes a little more routine and there is a lot of comfort in that actually. So anyway, here they are the 1st day back, off the bus, wet headed Evan and skinny tall Tyler. (Yes, he eats like a cow, it just all goes to his feet which are the size of mine FYI!) The bus was delayed due to bad weather that hit right at time to load buses the first day of school, wouldn't you know, so I sat at their stop a good 45 minutes waiting for them. (Does that count for anything??) So far so good this school year though, they both seem happy with their schools and classrooms and friends and all that jazz. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

I have had the most ridiculous amount of drama trying to get my MMR vaccination it is unreal! I have an appt tomorrow (again, someplace else) to get it done just in time b/c my orientation starts Wednesday and if I don't have everything completed that 4.0 GPA and the last year spent drilling anatomy is for nothing. I had an appt at the Shelby Co Health Dept last week that I'd had for a good month to get it done b/c my regular doc's office didn't have the MMR shot, so, I showed up only to wait for over an hour, asked how much longer and was told it may be another hour or so and that was the night of Evan's meet-the-teacher ordeal so I had to leave. Lucky for me I found another joint locally that does them that I can go to tomorrow and have it done! I am excited and anxious and nervous and BROKE already at the thought of orientation/registration/spending a small fortune on books for the first semester alone.

I spent some time tonight here at my house w/ some of my friends and informed them this is the last night of summer fun I'll be having b/c it's back to life and reality for me come Wednesday. Summer Steffi has to put her bikini and beer koozie away and get back out the books and not have a life again for a little while! Maybe I'll be able to have some fun during football season though. We'll see. Something tells me I'll find some time here and there....

OK someone please tell me you're as addicted to the Olympics as I am right now. I was absolutely giddy watching the mens relay swim last night when we won the gold! I really want to sleep right now but gymnastics is on and I feel like USA will do their best by my sheer force of will to stay awake and watch this stuff.

I have to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my gal pal Amy G. tonight! I love you, girl, you've been thru hell and back with me and you will always hold a very special place in my heart. Remember our days of cheering, laughing, crying, eating, riding around in the Honda, eating some more, watching movies, naming our future children, gossiping, double-dating, eating again, and of course watching firetrucks and believing in miracles together. Thank you.