Happy Boo Day!

Freedom

From a loving brother...

Intriguing what you over-hear when you lurk a little....

The Girl started her new instrument- the TRUMPET- soon after school started this year. I'm thrilled, especially since I played the flute. No one ever seemed to hear my instrument, so it's exciting to think the Girl will be heard... whereEVER. she. decides.to.practice. Did I say exciting? We're getting used to it.

Though some of us are faring better than others.

Tonight, as the Girl practiced her required 30 minutes playing Three Blind Mice, her dear brother came up with new words, which he serenaded her with through her door as she practiced.

His charming words were:

"Sii-iick Duck, Sii-iick Duck,
You sound like a
Really Really
Sii-iick Duck."

Love the creativity in my household...

Soccer's over...

Suddenly Sumac

Shock

I just received an extremely sad email from the Girl's school district superintendent. It shared the news of a boy who was at Run Club today after school who started to cough, then collapsed. He was transported to the hospital. He passed away.

Then I read it again. The school was my daughter's school. The grade was my daughter's grade. The activity was my daughter's activity today after school too.

I hesitated for a minute, then decided to ask her if anything happened at Run Club today. She asked me how I knew. I explained the source of my information, and shared with her what happened in the gentlest way possible.

Then she told me something more-

"I was with him, Mom. I was there when he started to cough. Other kids thought he was faking, but then one of my friends ran and got the coach while I stayed with him."

She didn't know what happened after that, which I'll credit the coaches for.

He was in her class this year. He was in her class last year. My heart aches for his parents- for his little brother. Their shock must be 10,000 x the shock that we felt.

"I didn't think that kids could die like that," she said.

"Kids shouldn't die like that." I said.

Suddenly not understanding why she didn't finish her math homework afterwards seems enormously petty (she hadn't said a word). They will have folks in her classroom to talk to her on Monday. I'm glad of that.

If anyone has suggestions for dealing with a young death for kids, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

Hug your children-

S(He)'s growing up

Back when the Girl was a little girl, Mr. Man said, "Daddy doesn't DO ponies"- referring to the fine art of coiffing the girl's hair into neat bundles of rubber-banded bliss. I applied no pressure- thinking that it was one area where I could claim 'specialty.'

It didn't last.

One day I picked up the Girl from school, and lo and behold- there were mighty fine ponies.

"Did your teacher do them for you?"

"No, Mommy. DADDY did them!"

I was astonished, and quite proud of him. I think he wanted to keep his little-known talent to myself... (oops).

Well, yesterday, Mr. Man topped himself.

The Girl is now a BIG 5th grader- in a new school with only Big 5th & 6th graders. Big stuff. New stuff.

She had a bad cold over the weekend, and her nose was evidence- big, red and puffy.

Mr. Man still does mornings like he did when they were little, and apparently, he added a new skill to his repertoire...

The Girl says "Yah Mom- my nose looked awful this morning, but Dad fixed it."

"How exactly did he fix it?"

"He went in your drawer and put that cream colored stuff on it, then patted it on. It covered up ALL the redness- no one could tell I had a cold at all!"

"Reeeeaaallly?"

******

So- he has also be come a make-up artist (her first application, I believe, short of Halloween). I confirmed the story with him last night.

"You know how to do concealer?"

"It's not that hard."

Good to know.

S(He)'s growing up.

My Favorite Season

The sights, the sounds, the smells... I love every minute of Fall. And nothing kicks it off better than an afternoon at the apple orchard.