Well, it actually happened.  School started today.  The boys were pretty nervous about going back.  Each for their own reasons.  I am not sure who actually got enough sleep last night.  It surely wasn’t me!  (And excuse me, but whose bright idea was it to start school so early?  Not just early on the calendar–August 4th is just pathetic–but early in the day?  It is sadistic to make everyone get up that early!  I am against it, I tell you!)

I was rather surprised to see that there actually is a 5:30AM.  I haven’t seen that since May.  I was sure that they had finally taken my advice and gotten rid of it.  But, alas, it came, it blared it’s presence through my alarm clock and it taunted me.  (Let me tell you people, that is too freaking early for me to function with any sort of efficiency!)

So, I get the boys up and out of bed, dressed and fed.  (I get the Good Mommy award, too.  I actually made bacon and eggs for breakfast.  Trust me.  This is not a normal occurance.) By the time we needed to leave, the boys were ready to get going.  We loaded up the car with new backpacks and school supplies and made our way to the school.

If only I had a dollar for every person (parent and teacher alike) who did a double take when they saw us, stopped in their tracks and exclaimed, “You didn’t move!  I didn’t think you would be here.” Needless to say, the story was repeated over and over.  I started to get to the point where I wanted to just make something up.  You know, something dramatic like:  “We tried to move, but the school insisted we stay so as to further torment the PTA” or maybe “What?  Move and leave all this behind?  I wouldn’t dream of it!” and of course, to make them feel like they have lost their minds reply with something like, “Move?  Not be here?  Where on Earth did you get that idea??  We had no plans to move.”

However, I stuck to the same old same old routine:  Smile back, nod and happily exclaim, “We are just so happy that we were able to stay longer!  The boys just love it here and we couldn’t be more thrilled that they are going to be able to stay at this school.” Followed by the intense need to choke back the bile that rises in my throat each time I say it.

But that’s not the best part.  The best part is when the PTA president saw me.  (Yes, the same Madam President from last year.) I was in the library for the “Welcome Coffee”. (I was actually there to lend support to my best friend here whose little boy started kindergarten today.  I wanted to be there for her.) So anyway, she looks up (looked quite shocked) and walked over to me.  Next to me, my friend mumbles “Uh-oh”.  The exchange was priceless.

Pres: (speaking in a very choppy manner as if she were measuring her words very carefully) “Oh. ….. You’re still here???  ….. I thought you were going to uhhhh ….. move ….. over the summer. ….. Well, I am ….. uhhhhh ….. happy…. that you are back.”

Me: (With an overabundance of glee and a touch of sarcasm I reply.) “Well, thank you so much!  I just knew you would be happy to know that I am back!  Quite a shock, huh.”

(At this point my friend is about to blow an artery from holding in her laughter.)

Pres: “Soooo, are you ….. staying the ….. entire year?”

Me: “We sure are hoping to!  Isn’t that just the greatest?!” (Said with enough sweetness oozing from my tone to cause an instant cavity in my mouth.)

She stood there speechless.  A look of shock, fear and dread all combined on her face.  It took everything not to laugh out loud. 

Pres: “Well, *very long drawn out pause*….. okay.”

I smiled brightly and turned my attention back to the Dad I was talking to before she walked up.  Only to see the most amused expression on his face. 

After the year of hell that she and her cronies put me through last year and after the insensitive and condescending way they acted, I have no problem letting them know right up front that I won’t take their crap this year.  I have no problem expressing my distain for the way they act.  Truth be told, that moment almost made staying here worth it.  Just to see her squirm and to see the look on her face was priceless.

Oh, I think this is going to be quite a fun year.  Yes indeed.

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