The do-over.

When school started Wednesday, we agreed that Shawn would drive Dillon to school (as he did last year) and I'd pick him up (as I did last year). I was packing Dillon's lunch when it occurred to me that we weren't doing the first day the way we'd done it last year, or the year before. On the first day, we ride bikes to school. I thought about shifting into high gear and rushing all five of us out the door, but we hadn't checked the air in the tires. We would need to leave in 10 minutes. I decided to let it go, feeling bummed that we'd slipped so easily into routine and forgot about our first day of school tradition. We can ride bikes any time, I told myself. It's about the fun of riding bikes, not about the pageantry, my inner voice turning into a lecture. Then, not willing to give up so easily, I told the family to gather outside and huddle together, just like the photo on our bulletin board in the kitchen... the one from the first day of school last year:

last year

this year

Recreating the scene calmed the tiny thread of guilt I felt for forgetting about the bikes. And then I laughed at the thought of this image 10 years from now. I'm sure Blake and Dillon would have no trouble matching their poses, but I wonder if Shawn and Cate could pull it off? Do you think he'd still be able to hold her that way? Do you think they'd try, just for old times sake?