Laura's First Day Of School

Yesterday was my little ones first day of school! The night before, she was so excited. She wanted to get her clothes ready for the whole week and get her backpack in order with things she thought she may need. She also wanted to get her hair curled, so I put her hair up in curlers to sleep in.

We met the teacher last week at "Meet The Teacher" night and Laura really liked her even from the first introduction. Each of the students were given "fairy dust" to sprinkle on their pillows the night before school, so they would get good rest and have wonderful dreams about their first day of school. So, before it was time to lay her little head down, she took the "fairy dust" and sprinkled it over her pillow. When I went to get her up yesterday morning, she was already wide awake. She said she got her rest, but was so anxious to get up and get ready that she woke up early. Don't you just remember those days?

Tim and I took her to school and she was grinning ear to ear. I don't think she had any fear about this new adventure. You see Laura had already finished Kindergarten, but it was at a much smaller private school. I knew she was used to being dropped off in the morning, but I was expecting her to get a little nervous about it all but she wasn't. When we got into the classroom, she said hello to her new teacher, placed her snack in the "snack bin" and took her seat. She was a little bashful when we went to give her a hug, but once we told her to have a great 1st day and that we couldn't wait to hear all about it that night, she turned to us and "bye, bye... I love you" and Tim and I left. Surprisingly, neither one of us shed a tear. We did really well! I think had she been upset, it would have been a little different, but she was a real trooper.


I did good all day long, until it was time for her to catch her bus to the daycare. This would be Laura's 1st time ever catching the bus. I mean, she would go on field trips through her other school, but this was different. She had to find her bus, and then know when to get off the bus. I was a little frazzled. I asked Tim to head to her daycare and see how she was when she got off the bus, but Daddy had another idea in mind. He decided to follow the bus from school until she made her stop. Anyone who knows Laura knows she's a Daddy's Girl.... I wonder why? Tim saw her get up from her seat and wave at the daycare director who was waiting there for her. She got off the bus all smiles. I felt so much better.

I couldn't wait to get home to hear all about her day. As soon as I walked in, the discussion began about how much fun she had. She really liked her teacher, and she even met a few new friends. She talked about going to lunch and how she didn't really like the food. She asked if she could take her lunch the next day, but said she would try from time to time what the cafeteria had. They got to go out yesterday afternoon for recess and Laura told me all about how much bigger the equipment was and that there were so many more swings than at her old school. She went on to tell us about her bus ride home and how the bus went right by her house, which she thought was really cool. The only thing Ms. Priss didn't like was that the school bus didn't have seat belts. She didn't think that was very safe. Luckily, Laura doesn't have that far of a ride from school to daycare and that eased her mind.

All in all, she had a wonderful day. I took her again this morning and she went right in, kissed me goodbye and turned to do her morning routine. It's amazing how quickly they grow up and how soon they gain their independence. I'm so proud of her and what she has learned at such a small age. I can't wait to see her progress this year. It seems we're off to a great start.

Feeling old @ 35

Sitting here at lunch, I realize how old I'm actually getting. I'm sitting outside at Thai Sticks - it's 97 degrees, a rather cold front for Houston - listening to 3 kids who recently graduated from college a few years ago talking about what certifications they need to become lead teachers.

Now that's not what makes me feel old, their conversation about their love lives make me feel old. Out of college but still in a high school state of mind when it comes to love. One of the teachers is a smokehouse, as she takes one cigarette right after another, one is a balding gay man, which might I ad he's married (to a woman) and obviously hasn't figured out that he's gay and the 3rd is a girl who's actually the normal one of the bunch. She hasn't quite gotten all of her certifications yet, but knows where she's going. She has a plan.

Smokehouse (as I'll refer to her from now on) is in a new relationship and already talking about marriage. She's all of 25, has a 2 year old, in a new relationship (I think I heard her say 3 weeks) and she's already talking about marriage. A conversation like this makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs to SLOW DOWN!!!!! Enjoy your 20's, why are you rushing things? You change so much in your 20's, I can't stress enough... you change SO MUCH in your 20's! It's scary to think you're talking about a life changing event after only knowing someone for 3 weeks. I think I'm having a harder time knowing there is a child involved.

Married gay man needs to slow down too. He needs to figure out who he is. He's already gotten married and will probably end up breaking his wife's heart, but I want to scream out to him to "figure it out and stop the charade". Embrace who you are. I think like that, but then when I put myself in his shoes, I'm sure that's easier said than done. I'm quite sure it's really hard to come to grips with that, even though we're in 2009, things are still very hard for the gay and lesbian community.

I was so blessed to have gotten married at 27 and had my daughter at 30. Some may say I was old, I say aged. Just like a fine glass of wine, with age your thoughts and decisions become smoother, they catch you in the back of your throat. Decisions you make in your 30's are so much more meaningful. They take on a different view than that of your 20's. At 20, it's like you're looking at the view from the front porch as the cars pass by at 30 mph. All you see are the cars rushing by. You feel like you need to make decisions right then or time will pass you by. However, at 30, you're looking at the view from the back porch watching life in slow motion. The kids, the husband grilling, the dogs, the grandparents trying to keep up with the 5 year old.....

And then you realize it's time to SLOW DOWN, make decisions based on those you love most in the world - YOUR FAMILY!

An indescribable picture

After being sentenced to 12 years in a hard labor prison in North Korea, Laura Ling and Euna Lee were reunited with their families after serving 5 months.