Back From the Weekend, Back to School

This past weekend, Aaron, Grace, and I piled in the car and headed away from the city and the God forsaken State Fair/Brewer Game traffic to the Northwoods to participate in my mother's family's biannual family reunion. Our reunion is hosted in different locations across the country every two years, and since my saintly mother volunteered to host this year's event, she decided that Northern Wisconsin would be a great location to celebrate family and relax with loved ones. She was right. We spent the weekend lounging at our hotel's pool, basking in the sunshine on the shores of Legend Lake, and eating copious amounts of tasty homemade food.

One of the high points for me was our family auction. Everyone from the family is asked to either make or purchase one item to donate to the auction, and the proceeds help the reunion organizers defray some of the costs of hosting the reunion. Since many members of my extended family are very talented at handiwork, the auction boasted several beautiful (and, in my mind, priceless) handmade items. My favorite thing that I purchased was a hat, scarf, and purse set that my grandmother crocheted. As soon as I saw it, I fell in love with it, and I wasn't about to let anyone outbid me.

But, my most favorite thing about the weekend was having the opportunity to introduce my new hubby and my daughter to my extended family and watching them all get to know each other. It's such a cool thing when the people that have known you all your life and are so dear to you have the opportunity to meet the new loves of your life. It's bringing the two most important parts of your life together, and I was so glad to have the chance to do that this weekend.

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When we came home today, there was a letter in the mailbox from the elementary school Grace will be attending in less than a month (GASP!). Inside was an introductory letter from her teacher, inviting parents to a getting-to-know-you meeting later this month, a letter to Grace from the teacher, telling her about all of the fun stuff that she will be doing in the upcoming year, and finally, a school supply list.

*DRAMATIC MUSIC*

I was always one of those weird and dorky kids that actually looked forward to the end of Summer, because I LOVED going to school, and when the school supply list came in the mail each August, my heart would always be a flutter with excitement and anticipation. Not surprisingly, that same feeling swept over me today when I read through Grace's list. I had to use all the self restraint that I could muster not to jump off the couch, grab Grace, and drive to the nearest Target so we could start stocking up.

Grace, however, wasn't as excited. I showed her the list and told her we'd have to make a trip to The Red Store to buy her school supplies, and she asked if she was going to school tomorrow. When I told her no, she wasn't going for another few weeks, she shrugged and went back to what she was doing.

Oh, you'll see, kiddo. This time next year, you won't be able to wait to run out and buy your Number 2 pencils and glue sticks.