Orientation

Getting ready for orientation this year was different. Different than the previous years. In the past, I would be crossing off the days on the calendar, waiting for Friday afternoon when we'd finally get to see who would be teaching our children for the school year. Would we get who we wanted? Would our children like them? Would they like our kids? Would we like the teacher? Would the teacher like us? I'd be ready to go at 11 o'clock even though orientation doesn't start until 12:30. I'd double check that the kids had matching clothes and their faces were scrubbed so they could make a good first impression on their teachers (well, really, so that I would make a good first impression as their mom, bringing clean, well-groomed children to meet them rather than the boys that they are). I'd put on make-up and fret about what to wear and did my hair look ok. And watch the clock. And watch the clock. And watch the clock until it was 12:20 and then I'd rush everyone out the door so we could be there right when the class lists were posted. Kinda like waiting for the casting announcements to be posted for a play - waiting to see if you get the coveted lead.

But this year was different. I don't know if it's because we've done orientation so many times before, or because this is our 5th grader's last year in elementary school, or maybe just because I had a headache this morning so I took a late-morning nap and didn't wake up til just after 12. But even then, I didn't rush; I didn't even check to see what the kids were wearing. We left home about 12:45 and got to school to find that the classes were posted and there weren't big crowds in the classrooms.

I think this is going to be the best school year yet.