The first day of Kindergarten

This morning Boo woke up and announced that she was going to quit Kindergarten. (We weren't exactly off to a good start, eh?) Hubby and I explained that going to school is her job now, she's a big girl, and Kindergarten is fun.

She was sullen over breakfast. She posed for pictures in the front yard before telling us that her backpack was choking her. She got in the car. We navigated the hellish first day of school traffic. Unfortunately, Hubby had to stay in the car while Boo and I jumped out to find her line. The sea of children was endless. Boo looked so small and so scared. We finally found her line and followed her teacher toward the building. She looked like a lamb being led to slaughter instead of a bright-eyed Kindergartner about to start a new adventure.

We were fine until it came time to say goodbye at the entrance to her building. No mommies allowed in the building, they told us at Orientation last Friday. That's when the tears started. Then came the sobbing, followed by the screaming and pleading. "Come with me, Mommy!" "Don't make me GOOOOOOOO, Mommy!" "I quit, Mommy. I quit!" Then came the leg lasso. I untangled my baby, I kissed her tearful face & told her, "I love you", and endured the screaming RIGHT IN MY EAR!

I walked away and didn't look back even though I could hear Boo screaming for me. Then came my tears. Why did MY KID - the sweet child who loved daycare and pre-K - have to be the ONE throwing the tantrum? Why didn't she want to go make new friends and have a great time? Why was she so scared? Hubby was waiting in the car with a tissue and a hug. I would have preferred a shot of tequila.

Anyway, I'm sure she's fine now. She probably dried it up as soon as I was out of sight. Still, I'm sad for her. I wanted her to feel excited and proud of herself. But I guess that's why she threw the fit in the first place, right? This kid knows how to push my buttons.

I don't remember much about starting Kindergarten myself. There are pictures of me and my sister in our driveway in California. We both had dorky haircuts. I look a little nervous in one of those photos, but I had a big sister to show me the ropes. What I do remember - what I do know for a fact - is that my Kindergarten teacher thought that I was special and she took great care of me (and my sister before me). She took an active interest in my little life, nurtured me, and gave me a fantastic foundation for learning the rest of my life. I know she loved me because she still has an active interest in my little life. We exchange Christmas cards, she reads my rambling blog, she talks to my parents on occasion, and I bet if she were still teaching, she'd love to have my daughter in her Kindergarten class. (Thank you, Miss Ivey!)

Now about that drink...

The last day of "summer"

Boo starts Kindergarten tomorrow. More on this later...

We've had a busy summer full of life changing events, catching up with old friends, and making new memories together as a family. Where to start???

After the move-in from hell, we've had our hands full getting boxes unpacked and furniture arranged. The house needed A LOT of work. We still have a way to go, but the renovations have stopped until our budget permits more home improvement projects. (I hope our renters in Indy are enjoying our updated kitchen and bathrooms because they're way better than way we have now!) The house is perfect for us - not too big, not too small. We love being in a ranch-style home versus two-stories, and the pool is our best friend as the temps soar above 114 degrees.

Boo got to spend a ton of time with Meme and Pepe, who have wound up being very "hands-on" grandparents. Turns out, they LOVE having Boo visit, and have helped her pass many weeks in the cool pines with trips to the library for story time, playing at the park, meals at McD's, and showing her off around town grocery shopping, going to Pepe's office, and picking up the mail at the post office. Boo has a special relationship with both of them, but, seriously, she has Pepe wrapped around her little pinky finger. While she misses Grandma & Grandpa very much, the relationship she's formed with Meme & Pepe is equally valuable and heartwarming to see.

Hubby got a job! It's not his dream job by any stretch of the imagination, but it's the difference between making ends meet and not. I'm proud of him for finding a gig in this crappy economy, and sticking it out when we all know he's "under-employed". Thanks to the recession, our household income is pretty much one-half of what is was this time a year ago. We've made major adjustments to the way we live, and how we think about money. While it's humbling at times, we know that we are incredibly fortunate that our family has not missed a meal or paying a bill despite both of us getting laid of last year.

As for me, I'm struggling a bit with my career change. I'm used to being one of the sharpest crayons in the box, and I have so much to learn. My job is extremely technical, and every question turns into a mini-research project. I've been told that I'll spend a good year feeling lost and insecure before things start to fall into place. Yippee.

Through it all, we've so enjoyed becoming reacquainted with our old friends. Hubby & I weren't a "couple" for very long when we lived in Arizona, so now we're getting to know friends from both sides of the relationship, and realize we know some amazing, good people. Most of them have children now, and Boo has many pseudo "aunts and uncles". There's comfort in having a sense of community here, and Boo will grow up with these kids.

There are times when I feel "homesick" for my old life, our friends, fireflies & greenery, and the charm of life in the Midwest. But we did a good thing. We did the right thing. Soon enough, this will start to really feel like home.

Oh, and tomorrow when Boo starts Kindergarten, I'm going to cry buckets.