Chapter Mom

The kids both started kindergarten today, and I must say that I still need to pinch myself at regular intervals to make sure that this isn’t just a dream.  School drop-off went really well, with no tears from either Miss K (who walked to her class all by herself and immediately made a new friend as she casually rolled out some play dough) or Mister J (who was a bit more hesitant about his new surroundings, but fell in love with his new teacher as soon as she said that he may eat his raisins before class starts) – my heart sings!  Words cannot express how thankful I am for the fact that our kids are happy here in New Zealand and settling in well…  Moving continents is a massive decision, and although the main reason behind this move - for us personally - was the kids’ safety and future, it was still unbelievably hard and painful to uproot them from everything that they knew and loved.  So today I am an incredibly thankful mama.  Sela.

Along with this new chapter for the kiddos, i.e. starting school in New Zealand, comes an equally exciting new chapter for me: I call it Chapter Mom.  For the first time since, well, forever, I’m not working full-time, and with the kids now going to school in the mornings, I’ll have something that I haven’t had in a long, long time: Free time.  Me-time.  Oh, the luxury!  Yep, I’ll still be cleaning the house and doing the laundry, and yep, I’ll start looking out for a job pretty soon, but for now, sweet and wonderful now, I have an hour or two in the mornings to do as I please.  The thought is almost overwhelming.

First on my list of to-do’s want-to-do’s, is, of course, running.  Sweet and glorious, long, solo running.  Down to the beach; and up along the river banks.  Fast and hilly; and long, slow and easy.  In the rain and when the sun shines.  You name it, I’m going to run it - with the biggest, fattest smile on my face.

I'm going to run it all!

Life is good!