School's back in session!

I love the first day of school. It's so quiet and peaceful, even with two preschoolers in the house. Don't get me wrong, I adore my three older children. I really do. It's simply a matter of numbers. Five kids to one mom means a certain amount of chaos... and noise. The preschoolers actually take naps when the big sisters aren't here to keep them on the go. I even get the house clean. And when the afternoon comes and the girls come home I'm ready to welcome them home and talk about their day.

Since moving to the country I've had a ritual on the first day of school--my dear friend Marla and I have coffee. It's a pretty simple ritual, actually. Sometimes we go out, sometimes we stay in. This year we had coffee at my house. This is our tenth year of coffeeing. We've seen a lot together. Job changes. Emergencies. Deaths in the family. We've sat around campfires together, reroofed garages together. We've treated each other to birthday treats and flowers. We've watched each others' children grow up, becoming gifted in their various offerings. She's always there for me. I know that if I'm down I can call on her. She does the same.

So, while the first day of school means a quieter home and more contemplation it also means time to reconnect to those who are there through the busyness of life. Because sometimes we just need to do that--to remind ourselves that we're still human through all of this.