lately

Lately I am not sure where I belong . . . especially now, in a different house, with different schedules, different rules. I belong wherever my kids are - and when I am not with them - I feel homeless.

But today, for a while, I was reminded about just one more place that I belong. Most of the time I forget that I should be there, most of the time, I consider it just one more thing I have to do, but today was just what I needed - a whack upside the head to get me back on track.

I was at school. My class populations quadrupled this term - sounds overwhelming, but I am so much happier in big groups. I have only known these kids for two days, but already three of them stayed late just to hang out. Two classes were laughing so hard that the hockey boys were crying. The music was loud, and the kids seemed so happy. For those hours, my life was just like everybody else's. No - that is not true. For those hours, I was luckier, happier, more grateful. My life was BETTER than everybody else's.

Sometimes my home is in the middle of a bunch of 8th graders. Sometimes.