Life, Love and Growing Up

Days of Our Lives

"Melanie come on we have to get the kids to the bus." John yelled as he stood by the door.

"I'm just finishing making their lunches." I replied as I wrote a note before putting it in James' lunch bag and than wrote a note and placed it in Sammy's snack bag.

She'd be home for us to eat lunch together. I was happy for that.

I put the bags into the corresponding backpacks before zipping up the pouches and carrying them to the front door.

I gave each of the kids their bags and we walked out the front door. We left it open because John and I would be home in a couple minutes anyhow, so locking it wouldn't make much of a difference.

We made our way down the street and stopped at the bus stop. When we got there John immediately started to take picture after picture. He took ones of the kids together and ones with me and the kids and I took one with him and the kids.

As time went on he started to go a little picture crazy.

"Ok now smile." The flash of the camera went off with a click once again even though with the sun shining overheard it wasn't really needed.

"Honey let the poor thing have a breather. It's her first day of school so we don't want to make her too nervous." Our little girl Samantha was already rocking back and forth on her heels in anticipation for what was to come today.

Her brother, James, was bouncing up and down, excited for another school year to come filled with reason and jokes with his friends.

Both were in elementary school. And James was the one I was more worried about since sometimes he could be a big trouble maker.

"Alright, alright." He said as he lowered his heavy camera and let it hang around his neck as a small smile plastered itself on his face.

"Thank you." I gave him a kiss on the cheek before I kneeled down and looked Samantha in the eye. Her bright green eyes shine brightly as she smiled a nervous smile at me.

Her eyes were so unlike her father and my blue eyes. I called them a special little gift since they were so bright and full of life and yet to different from the rest of us.

"Are you excited sweetheart?" I asked as I reached forward and tucked some of her hair behind her ear to keep it from falling into her face.

She thought for a moment before she slowly nodded at me. "Yes mommy! I can't wait to see people and know things!" I smiled at her, her innocence and how she thought the world was full of innocence just like hers, all sunshine and happiness.

"I bet you are." I looked up at the sound of the bus and John stepped forward before he came and stood behind me.

"The bus will be here in a second." He said quietly as he looked down the street at the noise. I nodded quietly as my eyes filled with tears.

Samantha immediately jumped forward and engulfed me in a hug that made me never want to let her go and never let her grow up so she could stay with me forever.

"Be a good girl ok." I mumbled. I pulled back and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Don't worry mommy!" She exclaimed as she jumped away from me. "Remember I'm this many!" She held up her left hand to symbolize that she was five years old.

I laughed a sad laugh as I continued to smile at her. "I know sweetheart. . ." I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand

"Are you ok mommy?" She asked. I nodded. "Why is mommy sad?" She asked as she turned to look at John.

"Mommy isn't sad." He said to her as he pulled her forward into one of his warming embraces. "She will just miss you very much."

While John held onto our little girl before she left us for her first day of elementary school I looked over at James.

"James sweetheart." I held my arms out and immediately he ran forward into them. "Have a good day ok?" He only replied by nodding into my shoulder. "And be a good boy for me." I said as I gave him a final squeeze before letting him go.

"Mom, I'm always a good boy, I'm seven now!" He said, so full of pride as he stood up a little straighter.

"I know but just don't give the teachers a hard time. And that means no being a terror child." I pulled him towards me and gave him a kiss on his forehead.

He crossed his arms over his chest and pouted as he mumbled "I'm not a terror child."

"Now go see your father." I said quietly as I gave him a small nudge. Immediately he ran the couple steps to where his father was and crashed into John and his sister. All three of them almost tumbled to the asphalt.

I laughed as I stood up.

The bus finally pulled up parallel to our street and opened its doors. A middle aged women sat in the seat and she smiled and waved at me. "Another year?" She asked.

I smiled and nodded. "Yes my youngest." I wiped my eyes.

"Don't worry." she replied. "She'll be back before you know it." I nodded as the three of them got up from the ground. John turned his camera back on and one by one started to snap pictures.

James immediately ran towards the bus and waved at me as he climbed up the stairs and made his way to his seat on the opposite side.

Samantha started to head towards the bus, now with a skip in her step, when she suddenly turned around. She looked back at me and than suddenly stopped.

She than ran back towards me with her bag bouncing vigorously. She tackled my legs and I pried her arms off my legs and bent down and wrapped her up in my arms.

"What's the matter?" I asked as I patted her hair.

"Mommy, don't be sad. I'll be home soon and than we can play games and have fun."

I hugged her a little tighter. I really didn't want to let her go. "I know sweetheart." I let go of her go slightly. "Now. . ." I moved her hair behind her ear again. "Go get on the bus and have fun at school."

She nodded at me and I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. I turned her around and gave her a small nudge and she ran to the bus. Before she went to climb up the first stair she stopped and turned to look at me.

She smiled and waved at John and me before she skipped up the stairs with her bag bouncing consistently on her back. Than she went and sat in the front seat where she could see us. She waved as the bus started to pull away.

John came over and stood next to me. He placed his hand on my shoulder as we both waved at her and as James his away from us.

My eyes were all teary and when the bus disappeared my eyes were overflowing with tears and some rolled down my cheeks. John pulled me close to him and I hugged him tight, so tight that it probably hurt.

"Don't worry she'll be home soon." He said quietly as he pulled back and looked at me. "Lets go home." He took my hand in his and we started to make our way back home.

"But John, it starts off as them going to elementary school and than the next thing we know they'll be going off to college and leaving us."

He stopped walking and turned to look at me. "Well than, Mel." he smiled his sweet smile at me. "Well just have to make the most of it all." He pulled me to him and gave me a quick kiss before he continued our walk home to our empty house.

No matter how big my kids get they will always be my babies. And I can't wait until my babies come home.