Back to school---part three!

Observations on school, courtesy of Sydney.

"Mom, did you know that everyone in my class at kindergarten is the same age as me?!"

"Mom, guess what else??? EVERYONE on my bus lives in this same town as me!"

Public school, Sydney...public school. There's kinda an everyone-must-live-within-the-town-limits sorta prerequisite. Kinda like there's kinda sorta a trend that has to do with everyone in kindergarten being...ummm...right around your age.

Smart girl.

Mia Hamm

Sydney is just too too too cute in her little soccer uniform. And really, that's all I can say about that.

Mostly because that other picture there? Of her playing with her hair? It's really one of about a dozen I could post that are just like it. It's pretty much what soccer has been about for her so far. Her hair.

Cute outfit though, huh?!

Back to school---part two!

Not for nothing, but do you see how they're walking away from me here? See it? Is this how it starts??

Once again...ouch.

Sydney's first day today...pictures of both kids' "firsts" will come soon.

Back to school---part one!

I just got the backpacks all packed for tomorrow morning, and I was just sitting there looking at them up on the counter...and my heart hurt.

So I was all, "honey, doesn't that just make your heart hurt?" and Eric was all, "ummm...nope?".

Can I get an amen from SOME mother out there? Huh? Heart feeling squeezed? Like, oh, where does the time go?

Ouch.

Today? A banner day. A perfect day. A red letter day. All caps. Highlighted.

I have a "bucket list". If you haven't seen the movie, you should. It's a list of things I'd like to be able to check off before I (or someone else, conceivably) die. There are many silly things on it (have a frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity in NYC with my 3 best girlfriends from college), and some important things on it.

One of the important things was making sure my kids each get to fly with my dad before one of us kicks the bucket. (preferably him)

Most of you know the story, but I have this sweet, cute little scar over my right eye that came from an eye injury I suffered in a PLANE CRASH!! with my FATHER!! in HIS PLANE!! when I was younger. So, needless to say, it has been a couple of decades since I've had the urge to go up with him again. I have flown all over the world since that crash, but it has usually been with some Valium, Jack Daniels, lots of chardonnay, and even more tears & white knuckle grips. Honestly, that has broken my heart not just because I love to travel and the "getting there" mostly stinks for me now...but more so because my father loves flying. He loves to share flight with others. Loves his planes arguably as much as or maybe even more than (?) he loves my mother. Let's just say that if my mom were in the plane and the plane were on fire, he just might use her very body to smother and put out the flames. And then be so glad it worked. And then, a half hour later, remember she was even there.

So, today it happened. It was awful. It was amazing. There were tears. My gag reflex was on full alert, and there were times that my bowels were threatening mutiny. I called my mom as Colin was taking off, and suddenly realized as I was talking to her that 2 of my top 5 favorite people (yeah---everyone has favorites--don't judge) were in that plane together. Off the ground. In front of me. She laughed at me...out loud. And then the plane disappeared from sight, and it was about the sweetest thing I've seen as they came back around on the horizon. I've got a bit of video below, but my nerves were a little nuts, so I managed to miss Colin's whole takeoff. I got Sydney's, but really? The focus? Nerves again. At least by then I was a bit less...ooohhh...hyperventilate-ey...

They loved it. My dad loved it. I loved it. I am so glad that today was the day. I am so glad that my kids are total rock stars and were so excited to go up even though they not only were able to sense and see my fear, but have also heard only like a hundred times that I'd rather put steak knives in my eyes than go up in my dad's airplanes. So proud of them. I'll never forget this, man. Never. Bucket list #17...check.

Then we came home to brownie sundaes in front of the TV as Michigan beat Western Michigan in their season opener...and all was well in our world. We are blessed. Blessed, indeed.