This Can't Be Happening

Good land of the living, my daughter had high school orientation tonight. How can I be this old? How can she be this old? When did life take my firstborn and turn her into a half-grown woman?

Can someone slow down the universe for a minute? I think I might hurl.

It's not just the fact that my oldest is in high school (stop saying that!) but the fact that so much, and yet so little, has changed since I attended there. I know too many of the teachers. Do they ever retire? Or just die during a particularly boring lecture one day?

I was struck by how young the kids were when I walked into the auditorium. Good heavens, these kids are too young to be thrown into the world of schedules and bells and responsibility. Take them by their hand and lead them a little longer for crying out loud. This mama isn't ready to have a kid so grown up.

In a week and a half I'll officially have a high schooler. And I'll officially have all my children in school, all day every day.

I think I might spend the first day crying.

30 comments:

jessica said...

my condolences. i wish i could slow mine down too. and i had ALL THE SAME teachers my parents did. and the next generation caught a couple too. saaaaaaaaaaaaaaddd. retire, already!

Michelle said...

High school? Really? Surely there must have been a time warp somewhere. Good luck to you on having an empty house (well ok except the dogs) all day. What are you going to do with yourself? And any idea what assistive devices might work for Micah?

Leanne said...

I have another year before high school, THANK GOD. How did you get there so fast? I looked at my daughter today and wondered how she got so big so fast too....especially in the girly places. (blush) I am so not ready....

The Sports Mama said...

Hang in there... I promise, it gets easier on us.

(and I have to say.... I love that Becky's friend wore a shirt to her High School orientation that says "This Blows".... hehehe)

Pam said...

oh man! I want to cry because Ashlyn will go to Kindergarten next year- I don't even want to think about high school! Yikes!

Feel free to cry that day- I'll send tissues! :)

Trisha said...

I keep looking at your header and thinking . . . no way is that young girl in high school. I think there is a weird time warp thing happening! (of course I do understand that the picture is a little old!) Just think of the things you can do when everyone is in school!

Fannie said...

My YOUNGEST is a SENIOR. I cried three times yesterday.

Fannie said...

My YOUNGEST is a SENIOR. I cried three times yesterday.

Flea said...

I officially had a high schooler yesterday. We have so much in common! Where it ends, though, is how we feel about it. :) I'm such a bad mom! I LOVE that Maybelline is in high school! That she's running from building to building all day, walking ten minutes to and from her bus stop (she has weight issues - we all do). She's my most scheduled child, rising early so she can be places early. Awesome.

High school means they're on track for college here. I'm guessing it's much the same everywhere? Last spring she and dad sat and went over the different tracks and classes and discussed college ad nauseum. Really, my Hunny is the one who was sad to see his little girl in high school. I'm all, "Get out of the house, already! Grow up and get a job and a diploma and get married, already!" Okay, not that extreme. But close. :)

Sorry to take up so much space.

Burgh Baby said...

*hands Rocking Pony the box of tissues*

Becoming Mommy said...

My condolences on your baby growing up.

I think teachers die during a particular boring lecture.

Hubby is a teacher. The last school he taught at, there was a teacher who had taught him back when he was a kid. And he said he thought she was about 137 years old back then. Couldn’t believe she was still alive, much less teaching (although, just as he remembered, not well or coherently).

Becoming Mommy said...

My condolences on your baby growing up.

I think teachers die during a particular boring lecture.

Hubby is a teacher. The last school he taught at, there was a teacher who had taught him back when he was a kid. And he said he thought she was about 137 years old back then. Couldn’t believe she was still alive, much less teaching (although, just as he remembered, not well or coherently).

imbeingheldhostage said...

come around, we'll cry together. I have some good hot cocoa we can share too.

ALF said...

Don't cry!

caramama said...

Man! I can't believe you have a high schooler!! And in that pic? She is definitely a teenager. Yeow!

Unknown said...

Mine is starting Jr High. i soent the mornign trying to show him how a locker combo works. He is terrified of not being able to open it on Monday.

Love the picture!! :)

Unknown said...

Mine is starting Jr High. i soent the mornign trying to show him how a locker combo works. He is terrified of not being able to open it on Monday.

Love the picture!! :)

Debbie @ Three Weddings said...

If you figure out how to slow down time, let me know. I was having a hard enough time dealing with my oldest starting Jr. High.

JennyH said...

Crazy! I dread that day of high school coming. I do have several years before that comes though!

Hope the year goes smooth for her.
Also hope Micah is healing fast. Max's surgery has been postponed cause he now has strep. Fun!

Karen said...

They really just don't slow down do they? Don't they know what waits ahead for them as adults? All that responsibility and worry.

She really is a pretty girl. I know that just adds to the pain of it all. Good luck.

Tootsie Farklepants said...

High school?!?! Holy crap!

Aimee said...

You're right - high school never changes. On our first day of high school, my best friend wore her MOTHER'S uniform because the dress code had not changed in the 50 years the school had been open. Yikes.

Good luck, and cry your eyes out of it helps. At least no one will interrupt you.

Kidzmama said...

Sure, you'll cry. But then you'll sit and listen to the utter stillness of the house. I bet you'll even hear a clock ticking.

I have a few years to go before the baby gets to full day school. By then I'll have a high schooler, a middle schooler, and two in elementary. Sound familiar?

Wineplz said...

Wow...I was thinking she was going to start 8th grade. She's on the young side of high school, so no wonder you feel unprepared for her to be there!

Also, at my first high school, several of the teachers were still there from when my dad was there. And I grew up on the south side of Chicago.

just jamie said...

You might spend the first day crying, but come on, between sniffles, won't you just grin a little?

Michelle said...

I can just imagine the range of emotions you're having! One starting high school and one starting kindergarten -wow!

Marmarbug said...

Oh my. High school already??!!! I agree the kids now look SO young. I know we didn't look that young right?

Marmarbug said...

Oh my. High school already??!!! I agree the kids now look SO young. I know we didn't look that young right?

Anonymous said...

Take very deep breaths. And, if that doesn't work, suck the helium out of a balloon. At least you can be high.

Danyele Easterhaus said...

oh my...i am still one step away since my oldest is in 8th grade. where doese the time go? i have 3 others...so i have faith i am still young somewhere...or will i just have to settle for being the 'retired' mom when my 7 month old is in high school? hmmmm