Blessed to be Doing what I'm Doing

Most of you know that my parents divorced when I was little.

Four to be exact and my brother was two weeks old.

My mom was hard pressed to make sure that we had dinner on the table, parent permission slips signed, and a ride home from school.

So, activities like Daisy Scouts, ballet, and gymnastics really were not on her purview or remotely in the budget.

It was last night in the middle of kicking off a Daisy Scout parent meeting that it hit me, I am extraordinarily blessed.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to provide this gift to my daughter.  I am thankful that it is me that picks up my children each day from school and walks them through their homework in the afternoons.  

I am mindful that our time together in this way is limited and unique to the ages that they are.  And so for the time being, we live in a small house, drive older vehicles, and make it work on one income.

My hope is that as we look back and as they remember their childhoods that they will know that we were there.  Mama helped them to earn their badges (as did my husband who is the Cubscout Leader), walked them through their spelling tests, crunched leaves with them, and snorted chocolate milk out our noses as we made bubbles in our cups.

Life is short.  No matter how hard it is, I'm thankful that I get to spend my hours and days making these memories.

Kindergarten Round Up

Dear Kate,

Today is a day that you most likely will never remember.  I certainly can't remember the day that I had my "Kindergarten Round-Up," if we even had them back then.

But you woke up, ready and raring with your prized dress and your loud tights (which I love) and you said, "I'm ready to be round up."  And just like that, we ate a bowl of cereal, dawned your adorable pig tails, left the baby with a sitter and headed out the door.

I could feel the buzz from the minute we walked in the room.   Parents were swarming with excitement and hopes for their soon to be starting little ones. And just like that, they called your name and you were whisked down the hall to a big Kindergarten classroom to meet the teachers, do an activity, and learn what it means to officially be in school.

For some reason, I wasn't this emotional with Sam...which makes no sense to me at all.  You'd have thought that I'd have been a basket case with the first and completely fine with you...but it was the flip.  You're still 4.  You still seem little to me with your sweet voice, but you're not.  You can read, write, make your own bed, help with your little sister and in general, I'm convinced rule the world.

So, after today, I think that this summer will have special meaning.  I'll treasure the long days, the splashing in the pool, the memory making knowing that come fall, I'll have my first little/big girl saying the pledge of allegiance.

I love you so much,

Mama