The first of the first and the first of the same old

Last week marked the beginning of the school year for Big Dog and the first day of the new year in his bigger kid class for Little Dog.  It also marked the opening of a significant trade show I am attending.  In Amsterdam.  And that, well that little combination makes a working mommy cringe a little.

Back-to-school cinnamon rolls.  Yum!

In the weeks of planning my travel, I agonized about doing the right thing.  I finally came to a plan that let me be there for the first day of school and still make the trade show, a little sleep deprived and travel worn, but still participating in the customer meetings I didn't want to miss. 

Because they couldn't just look cute

By juggling things a bit, I got to bake the back to school cinnamon rolls, I got to take them to their new classrooms, meet Big Dog's new teacher and attend the morning PTSA coffee.  I also got to pick them up and hear the precious details of that first day back.  I got to hear the blow by blow of each child's day.  Or, not.  In fact, what I really heard was that Big Dog liked PE the best of everything he did all day.  That there was no free choice and that he had pizza for lunch.  Other than that, he couldn't remember.  And honestly, I had to drag those details out of him.
Little Dog on the other hand was downright chatty.  He played with his friend Rain and did a lot of other things.  He didn't know what, there was too much to remember.

Big Dog's new classroom

And though it is years in the future,  I can already hear them telling their significant others detailed accounts of what they are thinking.  You know, "Nothing." Just like Mr. Dog says when I ask. 

The very next morning, I hopped on a plane and flew off to Amsterdam.  After arriving I checked into the hotel, changed clothes and hit the trade show.  Who needs sleep?
Today I'm in  London via the high speed train to visit a customer.  In fact, I had breakfast in Amsterdam, lunch in Brussels, coffee in France and dinner in London.  Pretty impressive stuff, right?  I'll be back home Thursday night, just in time to head home, change clothes and hit the back to school night at Big Dog's school.  And the juggling never ends.