First day of school (eighth grade edition)

Mark and I had the best summer ever this year. We went on vacations big and small (family wedding in St. Croix, family camping trip in Santa Barbara), and while that was part of what made summer fun, it wasn't just that. The greatness came from being together without responsibilities--there was no homework to nag about or school activities to juggle. Instead, Mark and I just hung out together, laughed and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

We spent a lot of time with our family and friends at concerts in the park or the farmer's market. We went to movies and museums. We stayed up late, lazed around the house on more than one Saturday, and spent Sundays riding our bikes or at the movies. There was nothing BIG (capital letters) that happened this summer, but somehow, all the small things added up to a pretty great few months.

I was sad to see that all end yesterday, but not as sad as Mark was.

"I can't believe summer's over," he lamented at bedtime.

"I know," I said. "I love summer."

"But you don't even get it off!" he answered. "You had to work all summer!"

"I know," I said again. "And I still had a blast." 

Mark just snorted. I was debating which was worse--not having the summer off at all, or having it off and having it end. If Mark was any judge, it was definitely the latter.

And so, I knew to tread lightly when I woke him up this morning. I used a happy, sing-song voice, I approached the kid slowly, and I didn't make any sudden moves.

"Good morning," I sang cheerfully, opening his windows. "It's the first day of school!"

Mark just grunted and rolled over.

"No!!!" he mumbled. "Not yet!"

Eventually, he did get up, got fed, and got dressed. He even posed for his yearly first day of school photo, where he holds up the number of fingers corresponding to his new grade.

"What am I gonna do in 11th and 12th grade?" he asked, staring at his hands. "I won't have enough fingers!" 

I laughed and told him to put up eight fingers. Then I stopped laughing and told him to stop flashing gang signs with those same eight fingers. (Mark loves to push my buttons more than he likes being photographed!)

I asked him to smile, then begged, cajoled, threatened, and finally gave up. Facebook was full of smiling kids on their first days of school, but Mark refused to be one of them.

"Why would I smile?" he asked. "I'm not HAPPY about going back to school!" 

And so this is what I got...maybe not the most photogenic pic, but definitely the most honest. 

Good luck, my big eighth grader! And don't mind me sniffling in the corner, I just can't believe that this is your last first day at the K-8 grade school. I can't believe that next year you start HIGH SCHOOL. Ack!  

Trust me, you won't be the only on hiding under the covers and refusing to acknowledge the start of school next year...