The Future is Bright

Back to school hasn't meant much to me until this year. We get to take Greta to preschool in a week. I have relished our time together knowing that soon we will have a schedule to follow. Until this point, it has always been up to us. We get to decide how our week takes shape and if we want to wear pajamas, underwear, nothing or princess gowns. We get to decide if we want to play inside and pretend we are somewhere thrilling or go outside and take on the city. Now we get to dip our toes into "the real world" and be somewhere...On time...And dressed...Not in tutus and diamond earrings.

Until next week, though, we still get to fly by the seat of our pants. We have been enjoying the farmstead more than ever. The big kids are definitely gone and the playground is only buzzing with preschool sized playmates. They love it. We have been bolting out the door to make it there just in time to milk the cow and hear the roosters crow. And, just as the sun starts to climb high in the sky, we head indoors and play school. There is an old school house that was moved to the farmstead from 135th and Quivera. It is gorgeous and totally authentic. It makes me smile to see the kids in the little desks drawing on slates and swinging their legs back and forth. Greta and her braids....she is a natural.

Then we stroll down to the dairy barn to get cartons of cold chocolate milk and animal crackers. Greta always thanks the cows there for her milk, sweet girl. I am so glad there is a little bit of country down the street for my kids and me. (I grew up with pet chickens and ducks and even befriended a calf from the pasture behind our house.) One day I hid it in the bushes up by our house and fed it clover until we were found out. And, I still get tickled to see a rooster crow up close with their crazy neck and waddles. Jack loves them. LOVES them. We feed them corn from our hands. We watch them strut around with no schedule to keep, just like us.

We finish our morning with a walk down the trail - the enchanted forest, as Greta has named it. And, we play "Hansel and Gretel" and look for the candy house. I get to be the witch...lucky me. This vivid imagination will soon be in a real classroom. I hope she finds her creative outlet. I hope she learns about other places she wants to visit, and I hope she is excited about it all. Jack and I are planning adventures of our own during the three hours Greta is at class. I wonder what monkey business we can find!