I Could Have....

I could have gone to bed early and left a bunch of loose ends for this morning but I didn't. I got lunches made and prepped for today, the first day back to school for Sophie and the first day back to work for us.

I could have gone to bed after all the back-to-life prepping but I didn't. I stayed up and watched Chelsea Lately. Two episodes worth.

I could have stayed in bed a little longer this morning but I didn't. I got up, made the coffee, hit the shower, got everyone dressed and fed them breakfast.

I could have left the car where we parked it last night but I didn't. Because my conscience nags at me every second of the day and it reminded me that the registration sticker had expired and leaving it as is (even though it was re-registered) would invite a ticket.

I could have stuck the sticker on the dashboard and hoped for the best but I didn't. I traipsed out to the car and scraped the old sticker off, cursing myself for not taking care of this when we got the sticker TWO WEEKS AGO.

I could have left the house without my camera but I didn't. Miraculous, but you will just have to trust me until I can download a summer's worth of photos that there is proof I got my daughter off to the second grade in an all-white Hannah Montana outfit, complete with sparkly Converse skimmers.

I could have let her leave the house wearing those sparkly shoes and called it a day but I didn't. I encouraged her to bring a pair of flip flops in her bag in case the new shoes gave her a blister. Which they did. A block from home.

I could have remembered that Sophie's school is under construction but I didn't. Because four years into attending the school I've yet to attend a PTA meeting.

I could have politely said "no thank you" to the campaigners distributing leaflets outside the school encouraging me to vote for this one or that one but I didn't. I walked by briskly and rolled my eyes at them.

I could have ignored our Democratic contender for state senator when he told me to follow the balloons when I was looking for out sitter who was meeting us at the school this morning. But I didn't and instead I snapped "I'll follow them once I find the person I'm looking for!" and then asked him "Why don't you mind his own business?" Because really, Daniel Squadron? Today's the first day of school. The last thing a parent (okay, ME) needs on the first day of school is an over eager candidate rallying for themselves when it is a wonder our family gets anywhere at all on any given day. But good luck in the primaries next week!