First day back at school, but no, I didn’t take the pictures. I was already gone, headed to work before the kids went to school.

I asked my husband if he could take pictures,

and he did. But he warned me in advance that the kids were crying. Not about anything earthshaking or new, just the same things they cry about daily.

I’ve caught other people’s children smiling as they head off, shiny clean faces in new clothes and a fresh backpack, lunch box full of healthy snacks,

And sometimes I feel bad for my kids.

I’m not that Mom, not the one that has time or energy to pull that all together on 6 hours of sleep while balancing on one foot and juggling responsibilities like the flaming batons that they are.

I’m the mom who kisses the kids at the door after slapping cheese whiz sandwiches and a granola bar full of sugar in their lunch kit and call it acceptable when I add 4 pieces of cut up apple.

At least the lunch boxes are new, from the dollar store on Sunday, when I left the house for a sanity break.

I’m also the mom lucky enough to have the dad who can take them to school and pick them up, who can take pictures of our unhappy children who likely won’t remember any of this in ten years.

I’m the mom who gets to make a difference in my day in the lives of people around me by fitting in just one more person a few more times,

then come home and make a late supper and ask how the day was, read stories and put them to bed a little early so I can start the paperwork I didn’t finish during the day.

I’m the mom who is lucky enough to know I’ll miss everyone in my house when I go on a completely indulgent trip to visit old friends and talk shop for a few days in the middle of the week.

So, while today was long and a little too much, I’ll count my blessings like the bruises from falling downstairs yesterday and keeping my toddler from injury and remember that I’m exactly the mom that I need to be,

and the perfect one for the kids I have.

Happy back to school week everyone.