Because I am not taking the kids to school in the morning for now, I have the unique experience of saying goodbye to them as they drive away, something that has only happened very rarely in the last 5 years. When I have left them, it's usually with my leaving and their staying, like at home with their favorite Babysitter or at preschool. And that kind of face-to-face leave-taking involves our traditional ET-like finger "beep" with the "honk" response. Don't ask, I don't know.
But now we have a whole hand-waving system. There are, at first, lots of open palm waves that would exhaust any member of the royal family quickly (no "elbow-elbow-wrist-wrist-wrist" here). Then we start waving our "I love you" sign, just as I've always waved goodbye to my Aunt P who taught me sign language. Except the kids sometimes have trouble with that. There are lots of "Hook'em Horns," which is fine because Aunt Banana is an alumna (sorry, no . . . whatever the OU sign is, Uncle Soccer). And today, Bud shot me the bird.
Neighbors must wonder if we're waving goodbye for eternity because this whole scenario lasts for long minutes as they get buckled in, Mama gets settled, and they finally back out and drive away. But I love seeing their smiling faces as they head off to school and their exuberant waves as we say goodbye.
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