First Day of School

Today, after spending what seems like months in orientation, JP started his business school classes. I was a teeny bit sad not to be the one packing up my backpack and heading off to the first day, taking notes in fresh spirals (or word documents), and making soon-to-be broken promises that this would be the semester I would stay on top of my reading. But it was a fleeting feeling. I am really excited about starting work- starting my career. I've been in school for a long time; written hundreds of pages of papers and worn out scores of highlighters, I'm ready to do my writing and highlighting in exchange for money. But that's not to say I don't see myself back in school at some point in my life. Whether it's for an MBA or MD or something I haven't thought of yet, I'd be a bit surprised if there's isn't another "first day of school" in my distant future.

JP gave me the honor of picking out his school supplies: 5 spiral notebooks and a binder. I attended a firm sponsored wine tasting last night (apparently they do this every month and spouses are invited, though last night JP chose to stay home with Landon) and stopped at Wal-Mart on my way home to find him the perfect notebooks. I slowly walked the aisles at 10 PM in my black dress and 4" black satin, ivory ribboned peep-toe heels, thinking back on all my school supply trips growing up- the picking out of the prettiest binders and the coolest new pens (well, the coolest pens in bulk and on sale). Unfortunately Wal-Mart had been decimated by some kind of school shopping tornado so I came home empty handed. But I was not deterred. Landon and I went to Walgreens at 6:45 this morning to present his daddy with a stack of spirals when he woke up. JP wasn't quite as excited as I thought he'd be, and he then gave me something akin to a glare when I asked him what his first day outfit was (my first day of work outfit has already been selected, along with the rest of the first week), but I know he's glad to be back on campus and I'm looking forward to hearing all about his day when he gets home. I'm even making a real dinner with multiple dishes to celebrate the occasion.

So now begins our big Fall Phase In. JP kicks it off with a short 3-day first week back, then I start work next Tuesday for a 4-day first week, and then Landon starts daycare the following Monday for a full week of everyone in their respective places. The daycare wouldn't let him start before the 8th and I needed to start the first day the firm would let me (our bank account is making me hyperventilate), which left us without childcare for the first four days. Luckily the firm has a back-up daycare program. I get 5 days free and 5 with a $50 copay, and you can choose to send your child to a daycare with reserved spots or have a nanny sent to your home. We're going the nanny route. I figure since Landon has been home with us all summer, the first day back in daycare could be a somewhat traumatic and I don't want to do drop-offs in two different places. So instead of all that, a very nice woman (whom I've already spoken with) will be coming to our house from 8-6 to play with Landon, his dogs, and his toys, and then he'll start real daycare after that. I think it will be nice for me to be able to get out the door that first week without also getting everything together for Landon - it'll be something of a trial run. I really like the way things are going to phase in for us. And given the way Landon leaps out of my arms every time he sees babies at all the business school events we've been going to, I'm no longer so sure that the daycare drop-off will involve tears. At least not from him.