This thing we call time...

"I can't believe how long it's been since we last talked!"

Haven't you ever said that to a loved one or a friend after too much time has gone by since you last talked to them or even saw them? I sure have, and I'm saying that to you now. I can't believe how much I've slacked on this blog. I do have some very justifiable reasons as we all do when our defense mechanism kicks in: the kids are keeping me busy, Pete's night classes are taking a toll on me, I've been concentrating on my poetry, the dog ate my homework... oops, that's an excuse for something else. Anyway, you get the drift.

I remember when the kids were little. People would tell me to enjoy this time because once they start school, it will fly faster than a flight to New York. It was a little hard for me to believe them as I was consumed by poopy diapers, fitful nights, mysterious illnesses, trips to the ER and the list goes on. All I could think was, "Is this ever going to end?"

And now they are well into school and I find myself wondering where all the time has gone.

Yesterday I went to my ENT for a checkup (remember my Meniere's Disease?). It had been two years since my last visit and I am happy to say I've been dizzy-free (except for those blonde moments). He has me on a daily regimen of Zyrtec and Astepro nasal spray to control the fluid build-up in my ears.  Time has been good to me in that respect.

Until I mentioned to the specialist how my hearing in my left ear seems to be weakening at which they proceeded to give me a hearing test. It showed a definite decrease in the hearing in my left ear since the last test.

"You're too young for that," Doc said. "We need to find out what the problem is. It can be a virus or perhaps a tumor (malignant)."

Tumor? Oh my, God how I 'awful-ize' things. I went from little tumor in my middle ear, malignant at that, to an inoperable brain tumor in a matter of seconds. The rest was just a whirl: heavy-duty steroids, come back for an ABR test, then maybe an MRI... blah, blah, blah.

And I'm thinking about my jumbled speech, headaches, saggy left eye, the problems I've had with my left shoulder (of course, I'm a little dramatic at this point). The time I need to live, please dear God.

{Today I started my steroids so I WILL be a writer/poet on steroids for a week or two.}

Time, time, time... I have to wait for you now. In the meantime, I'll try to catch up with those (friends, loved ones) who have snuck by because of... well, because of me.

I'm a walking zombie with fried hair

Summer has peaked and, for many with kids home from school, so have the doldrums. But not in this house. At any given moment there are at least three different things going on all at once. My life is like a sign with arrows pointing in opposite directions. I look like a walking zombie with fried hair. And feel like one. Sometimes I even act like one. Let me tell you why.

First of all there's Katie. She dances and dances and dances. And sings. LA-lala-lala. Sometimes I think she's spinning out of control. Not only does she shuffle through the house, she does it in the library, at the grocery store, and wherever else she goes. She's in her own little world of music with her iPod and legs.

Poor thing has gotten so carried away that she has knocked over someone else's vase and set the chandeliers into double speed. Did I mention I have to drive her to dance several times a week?

Then we have Andrew. He's either glued to a video game or following me around testing my math and science knowledge. That's not up my alley.

"Why don't you ask Daddy? I'll help you write a story, though."

Back to computer he goes. But I do have to brag for a second. He went to that Math and Science Academy I told you about earlier. He was placed two grade levels higher than the grade he's entering (5th) and won first place for total points in his division. And he's pretty darn good at Taekwondo, too.

Okay, now Nicholas. He's my walking story teller. He follows me around and tells me some whoppers. Tonight it was about heaven. He said he's been there before. You know, before he was born. The longest you stay there is three years. And you better not make God mad or he'll turn you into a frog. If you do it twice, you're a skyscraper. When I get there, he wants me to ask God if I can be his mom the next time around.

"If I can make it through this one, honey."

Oh, and while all this is going on in our mad house, Pete is working and going to night classes. THAT is why I look, act, and feel like a zombie with fried hair.

A day in our life: July 24, 2010

What a wonderful day we had yesterday, July 24, 2010.  It all started with a visit from Chris, Chelsea and baby Jonathan.  Katie, Andrew and Nicholas had fun meeting their newest cousin for the first time.  At four-months-old, Jonathan is a big boy.

We laughed so hard while trying to get Jonathan to sit up.  In fact, we captured the moment in video.  I was laughing so hard while recording that I was crying.  There is nothing like a baby to cheer you up.

After Chris, Chelsea and Jonathan left to go back to The Woodlands, we met our dear friend Karen at Jason's Deli for dinner.  She has been in Virginia for many years, but now that she is working in the Dallas area, we can see her more often.  Of course, with Karen a lot of laughing always occurs.

After Jason's, she came over for a while.  When we were going into the house, we heard a rustle from the bush with the bird's nest, and then a small brown blur caught our eyes.  The baby birds were trying to take flight!

Later when Katie, Karen and I were leaving to go shopping, we found one of the fledglings fluttering around Karen's red car.  It got scared and jumped into her tire where it got stuck.  We had to ask Pete to come to the rescue and help the fledgling face its fears.  In a short time, it was flying again.  When we got back from the mall, we noticed the little bird had parked itself against our wall, halfway between the ground and roof.  Maybe the baby finch was having an identity crises and thought it was a bat?  (Thankfully this morning it was gone).

Yesterday was a day to remember.  How was your day?

G is for Gratitude

As I have stated before, I try to have an attitude of gratitude.  But sometimes my busy life begins to cloud my thinking and I find myself fretting over things I can't even control.  The "what ifs"  move into my head and push back any gratitude I have.  The gratitude is still there, but gets forgotten.  I waste time and energy worrying about senseless things, but when I let go of these burdens and focus on what I am grateful for, I am at peace.

Today has been as busy as the weekend was, and I am tired.  Katie had her dance recital Saturday night after a lot of practice Friday and Saturday.  I found myself in a tizzy when I had very little time to get Katie's lunch.  Our downtown has undergone a lot of changes and I accidentally ended up rushing down a one-way street...going the wrong way, of course (no cars were out, so no need to worry, right- NOT).  Then I shuffled around and ran into a main street that is being completely dug up and is temporarily closed.  I went through the barricade and dirt anyway (the "food place" was on the other side).  By the time I had myself all worked up, I made it back to the theatre in the nick of time to eat lunch with Katie before she had to line up for her dances.  I was not thinking gratitude at this point, I was worrying and rushing.  The "what ifs" were swimming in my head, and it was all for nothing.  I made it back.  Katie ate.  The show went on.  What a waste of energy.  Maybe that is why I am so tired.

While we were busy, Pete and the boys were off having fun at a work-related crawfish boil...

It does take a village...

Baby pictures of Nicholas, Andrew and Katie respectively

I went back to my sister-in-law's house last Thursday through Saturday to help with the baby while her husband was out of town.  I was reminded of the sleepless nights and mere hopelessness all moms feel when their babies are crying inconsolably...and the exhaustion that comes from it all.

I can look back now and realize how very lucky I am to have such a wonderful husband.  I do not know how I would have gotten through the newborn stages without Pete.  I had to have three c-sections, so my recovery period was much longer.  My wonderful husband took two weeks off when each child was born.  When he went back to work, Pete would come home early to check on me or bring me lunch, even when it was out of his way.  He got up in the middle of the night to change diapers after I was done nursing.  When the babies graduated to bottles, Pete would feed them at night so I could sleep, and I would wake up with the babies early in the morning.  It was (and still is) a partnership- husband and wife, father and mother.  Together we made it through the sleepless nights: teething, acid reflux, asthma and croup, etc.

I also could not have made it through the baby stages without my mom.  Luckily we live in the same city.  She would come and help me while Pete was at work.  Mom would watch the babies so I could have a break.  In fact, she watched Katie for a year when I was still teaching (I quit when I had Andrew).  I am so grateful for her, and my dad, for their selfless love. 

Friends also helped me in those early years.  It was so nice to talk to moms with babies and discover they were going through some of the same things.  I met the moms through my church, Mother's Day Out, and various play groups I joined.  All of these things were as good for me as they were for my children.

It does take a village to raise a child.  Who belongs to your village?

Keeping my eyes on the light

When I was drowning in exhaustion from having three children under the age of four, it was hard for me to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I knew it would come and that the kids would become more independent, but sometimes it felt like I would never get any sleep.  I would often remind myself to "keep my eyes on the light."  This helped me through some challenging times.

Sometimes I get to feeling that way today, but for a different reason- deadlines.  As a writer, I am basically self-employed.  I love that aspect because it allows me to work while I keep up with the tasks of running a family of five.  I have so many projects I have to keep up with, though, I don't even have time to finish up the book I have been working on for several years.  I guess I need to remember to "keep my eyes on the light," which today is when my book finally gets published.  Until then, I will trudge through this busy time and revel in the fact I am happier than I have ever been.

Not another turtle

Some of you may remember last May when a turtle got lost in our house.  That's why I was so surprised yesterday when Pete carried in another turtle for the kids to see.  Of course, they all wanted to hold the wee little thing, but all I wanted was for them to get it out of my house!  Pete took the kids outside for a while and they got to see it up close.  I don't know how, but somehow the turtle ended up back in our house.  Shortly after the turtle came to visit, Pete went back outside and left us alone with him.  The kids began fighting over who was going to hold the turtle.  They all took turns and began asking if they could keep it for a pet.  I don't think so, I told them.  I asked Nicholas to put the turtle down, as I was looking for something to put it in.  Nicholas heads over to the kitchen table and is about to put the reptile down.  Luckily I noticed and could yell "NO" before that happened.

So the turtle stayed in a big blue bowl last night, sleeping with the dogs in the back of the house until Pete and I went to bed, and then he went in the garage for the rest of the night.  This morning Pete took him off to set him free; a sad day for the kids, happy for me.

Spending money to save money

When I was single and on my own, I would go shopping with my friends on Saturdays.  We would peruse the malls in Houston for hours and even make deals with each other, such as spending at least $100.00 or buying at least three new things.  It seemed, at the time, the thing to do.  I was teaching and supported myself, so why not shop on the weekend?

Well, now I hate to shop.  I would much rather spend my time with the family at home or writing, writing, writing.  I know Pete is grateful for that!  He has put things in perspective for me through the years.  I used to come home with an item that was "a steal" because it cost so little.  Pete didn't say much at first, but once we started having kids and the space in our small home began filling up, he started speaking up.  My wonderful husband told me this profound statement that now resonates through my mind frequently:

"How is spending money to save money really saving money?"

All of the captivating sales techniques that lure in suckers like me are simply tricks to get consumers to spend.  I must admit when I do have to go shopping for our growing children I just have to stop by my section, too.  I often waste time going through the sales racks and trying on clothes.  I collect a pile of clothes I don't really need and then end up putting them back before I leave the store.  All because I hear Pete's logic echo through my head.  Old habits die hard, but they do eventually die (if you try).

What did he say?

My little Nicholas is such a hoot. He is forever telling "stories" about things and is so convincing that many times he can trick people into believing they are true. For instance, several weeks ago he came home from school and insisted that his teacher's mom was in the hospital. Nicholas told me the same thing several times after that. One day he said, "Guess what? Mrs.___'s mom got home from the hospital." When I saw his teacher one day at lunch, I asked her about her mother. She was clueless- her mom had not been in the hospital (but her dad had surgery before Christmas and she was a few minutes late one day).

This is just many of a thousand examples. He has done this since he was very little, making up stories about driving in a big red truck when he was in high school. Pete and I have often wondered what Nicholas' active imagination will come up with next. We have also thought about what kind of crazy things he may be saying to his teachers.

Today was priceless, though. I think this one tops it off. We were in a spring conference before school with his teacher. We know her very well because Katie and Andrew had her for first grade, too. The teacher turned to Pete and asked with sincere curiosity if he and Nicholas had killed a bear last weekend. We laughed so hard. Nicholas also said they killed a squirrel and a fish, too...right here in town. We elaborated on his creative imagination for a while and then discussed the wonderful progress he has made. Before I left, I wrote a note to my youngest to tell him how proud I was of him and left it on his desk.

Then, while waiting to pick the kids up, the teacher came out to tell me that a boy in their class had put his hands around Nicholas' neck in a choke-hold during recess. She said Nicholas wasn't hurt and the boy got in trouble, but she wanted me to know that if Nicholas got in the car and told me about it, he was not telling one of his stories. Does this sound a little like the boy who cried wolf?

And you know what else? Nicholas is my sweet, sentimental child. He had folded up the note I left for him and carried it around in his pocket all day He wanted me to put it under his pillow tonight. Sleep tight, my baby.

An early morning debacle

I find it quite ironic that the very day I was to publish my article on the benefits of having pets while raising children, I should wake up to a den full of dog vomit and diarrhea. It was like an alien had invaded our home and done a number on us. Poor Nicholas was the first to discover the catastrophe when he stepped in one of the messes. After I cleaned him up, we went back to the battlefield. I turned on the lights and saw the dogs sleeping on their favorite spots and not in their kennels, which was not a good sign. Then I looked down at the floor and thought I would be sick. The "stuff" was everywhere! Next I did what any good wife would do- I went to wake up Pete. He was not very happy; I guess he thought it was a minor infraction. I let him wake up a few minutes and went to check on the coffee (which we usually make the night before), and we had forgotten to make it. Now the pukey smell was mixed with a burning odor. What happened, I wondered.

Flash back to last night and you would see me madly typing away at my computer trying to complete my article. Pete was watching the Olympics. Katie and Nicholas were already in bed, but Andrew was at a "late" birthday party. I guess Pete having to go and get him at 10:00, and then me trying to help Andrew get his shower and to bed, threw us off our normal schedules. We went to bed forgetting to lock the dogs in their kennels for the night and without making coffee.

I guess we have a lot to learn before the kids reach their teenage years.

P.S. Pete had to shampoo the carpet, and now it's better than it has been for a while. At least something good came from the whole debacle.

My, how the kids have grown!

As you can see, the children have grown so much and so fast. It seems like just yesterday they were all sitting at the kitchen table showing off our kitchen wall that was freshly painted yellow(and it probably took me quite some time to get this picture taken). Now Katie, Drew and Nick are posing for Christmas pictures outside without any fuss or ado... just a simple and quick click of the button.
This past decade, the kids had their share of bumps and bruises, though. Along with Andrew's boken nose, he has broken his arm. At the age of four, Nicholas broke the growth plate in his foot running barefoot outside and tripping. Then last year, as some of you might remember, poor Nick broke his finger at a bounce house place. He had to be put to sleep to have his finger reset. Katie fractured hew wrist also.
But in spite of all the sicknesses and hardships raising kids can bring, I must say these have been some of the best years of our lives. We try to show love in all we do, and hopefully that will be enough to carry us through.

The decade in review, part II

Once upon a time, Uncle Mark (Pete's oldest brother) used to visit us frequently. The kids always looked so forward to seeing him, and we all enjoyed the family together time. But now Uncle Mark's job (which has him moving all over the country), along with a girlfriend, has stolen his free time. We are left wondering when sweet Uncle Mark will come and visit us again. This picture was taken a long time ago (almost seven years). Katie adores Uncle Mark, as you can see by her cute expression. Andrew still carried his "binky," which he preferred upside-down towards the end. Baby Nicholas is oblivious to the whole thing, but happy anyway.

Last night in a phone conversation with Mark, I was remembering the time he came to visit and Andrew was just a little baby (fussy- I might add). I really did not know Mark that well yet. Pete had to leave to go to work (it was bedtime), and I had to get Katie to bed. But Andrew was very fussy due to his acid reflux and I had been walking around with him trying to soothe him. When I needed to spend time with Katie, I handed Andrew to Mark and said, "Here. Can you take care of him for a minute?" Keep in mind now, that Mark is a bachelor and has never had any children of his own; he would much rather have puppies. But the good sport took the baby and walked around the house with him. When I came out of Katie's room, I was humored to find Mark holding Andrew quite awkwardly, with a nervous expression on his face. I grabbed the baby and had Mark sit down- he looked like he could use a break. We love you Uncle Mark and hope you come and see us soon!

Moral Support

For a writer, getting published for the first time is like Christmas for young children. It's as good as ice cream is with cake, or milk with cookies. Becoming a published author is as joyous as graduating from college, or having any dream come true.

People who support and encourage writers are necessary to not only keep the writer writing, but to boost their morale since writing is a "lonely" profession. There is no boss to give you kudos (unless you are lucky enough to land an agent) so words or encouragement are welcomed by authors (at least this one).

This past weekend was filled with book signings. I had the great opportunity to share these events with Carol Weishampel. We had a good time visiting and sharing ideas, and even though the turn-out was low, we were there to support each other. Thank you to my family and Carol.

Andrew Is So True

Andrew is my sweet son. He is always so caring and thoughtful. Quiet and pensive, Drew seems to take in everything going on around him without much of a reaction. Yet he always lets me know he is aware of what is going on. For instance, I have Achilles tendonitis in both of my ankles due to an injury from running too much and too hard. My sweet son is the one who will ask me how they are doing. He will sit and rub my feet, being careful not to touch the wrong spots or squeeze too hard.
Tonight before bed this is a conversation we had:
“Andrew, honey, I am so proud of you for being YOU,” I said. We had parent conferences today and he is doing so well. We had been talking about his straight A's.
“Thank you, Mom. I am proud of you, too.”
“Really? Why?”
“For being such a great mom and taking such good care of us and the house, for cooking us meals and washing our clothes. Just everything!” Andrew said.
Those words nearly brought me to tears. Andrew is like that. I guess because he is the middle child, he tries not to make waves. But he is so perceptive and wise for his age. He understands why people do certain things in this big world around him. I am so grateful that God gave Andrew to us. My prayer is that we do God's will raising him. We are trying!

For Today...

The other night I was saying my nightly prayers when I asked God to tell Mary I missed her. The next morning after my run, I walked into the house and from my back window I could see three beautiful cardinals right in front of me. Then I heard a beep from my phone indicating I had a text message. I checked my message, and can you believe it was from Jeni, Mary's sister and my good friend! She just wanted to check on me and see how I was doing because we hadn't spoken in awhile. I think God was telling me Mary is okay.

Our time here on earth is so short. I want to enjoy each day like it's the last, love my family with all my heart and try to do the right thing always. I recently lost another friend who was only 52 years old (the older I get, the younger that seems). Her death came very unexpected, too. She had battled lupus, MS and another fatal disease for years and now she is free of pain and misery.

Today I am going to have an attitude of gratitude. Here are some of the things I am thankful for:
1. MY GOD who loves me unconditionally and will NEVER let me down
2. My loving, wonderful and supportive husband, Mr. K
3. Three healthy, happy and fantastically unique children God has given us
4. Family and friends who care and love me when I don't love myself
5. Health and happiness
6. Freedom from bondage
7. The opportunity to pursue my life-long dream of writing
8. YOU- my readers.

Have a great, blessed day and remember- GOD loves you!

My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue, an everlasting vision of the ever-changing view. ~Carole King

Kids Say the Cutest Things

Kids say some of the funniest things. Here are a few cute things my children have said or done.

*The other day we were talking about washing hands and using hand sanitizer at school.
This is what Nicholas said, "But my teacher doesn't always give me tan handimitizer!"

*Last night when I was putting Nick to bed, he started into knock-knock jokes.
"Knock, knock," he said.
"Who's there?" I asked.
"Bing-bing."
"Bing-bing who?" I answered.
To which my youngest replied before bursting out laughing, "Bing-a-bing-a-ling-ling, chicka-chicka-poo!"

*Nicholas still calls Andrew "Add-rew."

*When Andrew was little there was this incident that occurred while I was blow-drying my hair. I had bent over so that my long hair was reaching towards the ground and was blowing it dry that way. All of the sudden, I saw two eyes on me. Andrew was bending over mimicking me and peaking through my hair to see what his mommy was doing. I still laugh thinking about it.

*Once when Katie was around two (she was very verbal at an early age) we were playing a game. I would say "I'm ___," and she would say "I'm ___." What she said would be the opposite of what I said. So I was very tired from staying up with baby Andrew. We had been going back and forth for awhile when I finally said, "I'm pooped." Katie looked at me kind of funny and quickly replied, "I'm pee-pee!"

Do you have any funny sayings or cute things to share that a child you know has done? Please share.

Who's Blowing Out the Candles?

One of the advantages of having children so close together is that they enjoy the same things. Take, for example, birthday gifts. When one of my kids gets a gift, it is usually something they all can enjoy. This great fact rang true over the weekend with Andrew's birthday presents. Here is a list of some of the items Andrew received for his birthday and who actually enjoyed them:

1. The first book in a new series "The 39 Clues"~ Katie grabbed onto that book in the blink of an eye and read it in one day. She is now begging for the second book.

2. A Lego Star Wars model~ Andrew's friend gave that to him when he came over Saturday to spend the day. While they were at the computer, Pete and Nicholas sat at the kitchen table and assembled the whole thing.

3. An Ice Age Wii game~ Nicholas must have thanked Nini and Papa ten times for Andrew's new game.

4. A Mario Brothers Nintendo game~ Katie snuck it into her room and played it while Andrew and Nicholas took turns on the new Wii game.

Of course, being the kind-hearted, giving person he is, Andrew gave permission for the others to test out the new gifts. He got many more cool gifts and had an awesome birthday (except when Nicholas kept blowing out the candle during the "Happy Birthday" song...).

Happy Birthday to DREW!

Today is Andrew's 8th birthday. He was my biggest baby, weighing in at a whopping nine pounds and twenty-one inches long. Now he is my skinniest child. Poor thing was so miserable when he was a baby. He cried all the time. We thought he just had colic and suffered through many sleepless nights. Every time we would lay him down he'd start to cry, but when we picked him up he stopped. We eventually took him to a pediatric gastroenterologist who diagnosed Drew with acid reflux and put him on a VERY expensive formula. I had been breast feeding but was willing to give it up if Drew would feel better. The formula (and Prevacid) really made a world of difference. The funny thing is that most babies with acid reflux spit up a lot, but Drew did not. The acid was only coming up in the back of his throat. That is why we had no clue.

I am so grateful for Andrew! He is smart, compassionate, easy-going, kind, considerate, thoughtful, well-adjusted, and the list goes on. Being the middle child, he is the one who never argues to get his way; he simply goes with the flow. He's the one who will agree to go last simply because he wants to avoid conflict with his siblings. So although he was my most difficult baby, Drew is an easy child now. Happy Birthday Andrew!

Crazy Pick-Up Lines

If you want to test your patience, get in the carpool line at my children's elementary school. I am really trying hard to do the right thing, but sometimes it can be difficult. As I have stated before, the school is at a new location because they are tearing down the old school and building a new one. So for the next year-and-a-half, the school is a "portable school"- made up of portable buildings connected by covered walkways. The problem is not the school. The kids are happy and love it. All of the wonderful teachers and administration are the same. But the after school pick-up is chaos city. And I knew it would be. The first day, I got there an hour early and sat in the hot car, windows rolled down, sweat dripping all over my body. I had been there about fifteen minutes when the maintenance guy walked to the post where the sign was and started unscrewing the bolts.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Moving the sign back some. I didn't think you all would start getting here so early."
So he took the sign for K-1 pick-up and moved it back. I couldn't back up because cars were behind me, so I decided I would just get out of the car when the kids started coming out (Katie and Andrew have to go to the K-1 line because they won't let the little ones go to the big kid line anymore). After I had retrieved all of the kids, we were able to make a quick and easy exit and get home in no time. From what I hear, some people didn't get home for a whole hour due to the heavy traffic. So the second day, I arrived at the school an hour early again, but this time they had changed the order of where we were to pick up the kids. When I drove to where the sign had been moved to the day before, it said 2-5 grade pick-up. I kept on driving to the other side until I found the K-1 line. Again, I was first in line. I worked my crossword puzzle and then read. This time I was prepared. I had my hair in a ponytail and lots of water. Opening the doors makes for a nice breeze throughout the van, I discovered. I was enjoying some quiet, peaceful time. Until the cars started cutting in front of me. It took all I had not to get out of my car and say something, but I stayed in my car staring in amazement. Then, parents started forming a line to the right of me. I was penned in. I took some deep breaths and remained calm. I knew I couldn't change anything, but boy did I want to! I reminded myself that I was there for the kids and waited patiently. Again, we got home in record time. Today was a little better- nobody cut in front of me (I pulled up a little closer). Plus, the kids started coming out ten minutes early so we actually got home at the regular dismissal time. The thoughts of sitting in my car for a whole hour every day this year are overwhelming to me, but one day at a time, I can do it. Wish me luck!

First Day of School

This is how Nicholas wanted to wear his hair to school on his first day of school.

But I convinced him to comb his hair right at least for the first day (and I thought girls were the only ones who worried about their appearances). Despite that minor kink, the first day of school went great. Usually traffic is horrible as parents come out of the woodworks and everyone is trying to find a parking spot so they can walk their children into their new classes on the first day. Pete and I decided to leave a little earlier than usual, since we were going to the new location, which is farther than the old school. Traffic flowed smoothly as policemen directed us into the parking lot (the new school is on a very busy street that is usually 50 mph, but has been reduced to 35 mph by the school, along with the school zone speed limit of 20 mph during peak hours). We eased right into a parking spot and proceeded to drop off each child in their new classes. Of course, Katie didn't want us hanging around too long. She sat right down and got busy. Last night, she had organized all of her supplies in utter joy of a new school year. Andrew walked right in and was glad he could sit by all of his buddies. Since he and Katie are in the gifted and talented classes, they have the same kids in their class every year. Last, but not least, we dropped Nicholas off at his classroom. He walked in with confidence and sat by the prettiest girl. That would be our Nicholas!

When I picked them up this afternoon, things were a little more confusing. I arrived an hour early so as to guarantee I would be one of the first cars when my babies came out of school. I was the first for a while, until people started arriving closer to dismissal and then things went haywire. I was blocked in by another line of cars for kids being let out at another location and ended up having to get out of my car and go and get my children. Nicholas saw me first and ran over to me without telling his teacher goodbye. She looked down and he wasn't there, so she panicked and thought she'd lost him. She went back to the class to look for him and then came back out and saw him standing by me. Bless her heart- I know she nearly had a heart attack by the look on her face! Thankfully, Katie and Andrew had her, too, so we know each other well. Nicholas said the best thing about school was that he met a lot of new friends. Andrew said his day was fine, too, but a little "easy". Katie LOVED her first day. She had a lot of homework that is not due until Friday, but she did it all when we got home.

I am so grateful that I have such a sensible, level-headed husband. When I think of all the time I wasted worrying about the kids going to the new portable school, I feel kind of silly. I was ready to send them to a new school, but Pete kept reassuring me over and over that everything would be fine. And it was. Thank you Pete, and thank you God!