Don't Drop By (or take pictures)

Isn't it amazing how a fresh perspective (and a good night's sleep) can change your world?

Wednesday night I found out that Mary Claire had told her teacher that she wasn't coming back next year (ha!), since she was "Going to a new school." Well, I knew I had to get on Damage Control asap! Her teacher is amazing-I mean JUST what you'd want your child to have: patient, someone who's been teaching a while (undefined time, as she's still young), but has great new skills too, she's so sweet, and FuNNy! I mean Mary Claire has really learned! and she loves to got to school, and she cried and missed her while we were in DisneyWorld! So, it was not the image I wanted her to have of us. We love her and would love to have her again. So...I got to talk with her teacher yesterday before and after the party.

She's so positive and reassuring (yes, she's reassuring me!). She thinks I'm being too hard on myself. Her daughters are in public schools, and they are swimming upstream and resisting the current (my words, hers were more like :other kids are dating, wearing curly eyeliner on their faces, but my daughter is green:) I want a Green girl. I don't want her plain ol' naive (can't find the dotty i anywhere), but I want her strong enough to resist boyfriends (at 7!!! ok, and at 13 too. and even 16.), and crushes, and saying naughty words, and being disrespectful to other parents (or any adult for that matter), and resisting these ugly teenager-y clothes that make her look *sexy* a word she doesn't even know yet (but got written on her Cabbage Patch doll). I want my sweet, pure-hearted baby to be strong on the inside, and compassionate, and a good person (and heck, throw in smart, funny, and beautiful-three she's already figured out). Anyway, her teacher assured me they can put her in a good class with some sweet girls to limit the opportunity to experience the bad while she's in a growth period. I think we'll work on her character, and she'll be fine. I want her strong enough to resist the junk, and maybe she can sway her friends in the process? I've worked so hard on teaching her to be milder, let her company pick the activity, say you're sorry, don't be bossy, clean your room, that I hope I haven't created the problem.

Now for the boy. He's a different story. He's a sweetie, but sometimes I have to dig around inside the hard shell to find the squishy parts. He's hardened up, so I know he'll make it. It takes him time to adjust after he gets home to get in touch with the sweetheart I love, but it's still there. He's learning what I don't want him to know ("daddy's car goes in mommy's garage", and there are all sorts of references to headlights, porchlights, etc.). I am not sure he has a clue what all this means, but at least he comes home to tell me. We are still communicating, so I consider that a positive on my tally sheet.

Anyway, I'm checking out the home school conference that's in town this weekend. There are tons of sessions, but none on deciding what's best for your family. My mom is worried about me. She knows me, and tells me I like to GO (which I do). So, how would it fit in? I'd have to have a day (morning or afternoon?) out for errands. Ches is usually here on Fridays, so he could be with them, or I could schedule someone so WE could run errands. He's checking into another private school. We joke about the uniforms and who has the best (most freedom-I don't like all navy pants/bottoms, I mean navy is the old khaki, ugh. And Mary Claire doesn't look so good in navy, and we love Gymboree). I'm praying about it-I don't have a right answer yet. I'd love for them to go I think, but then you factor in the cost, and you have to like it more than where they are (free, if you don't count my over-$500-month county taxes). I'd love for her to have religious instruction, but we'll see. Does every parent do this? I did it when they were in kindergarten-I thought I was done!

I'm trying out my new re-prioritization: blog, pray, exercise (did I lie about that one?). I'm trying to live less on other people's expectations, and do what I want to do. Which has so far included: hugging on Ethan, cuddling him like a baby, getting him juice, not dressing him yet, painting Mary Claire's toenails (before school!), uploading pictures, eating breakfast, and next...my shower!! I'm just running slow, but having a good day. (ps-maybe I won't make the bed!) But Don't drop by, you Must call first. I'm not living for drop-in company now. So, if you feel the need, you must wear blinders/blindfold/not repeat anything you see/not take pictures/not sell them.

ps-I almost forgot to mention my amazing date/husband/anniversary! We went to PF Chang's for an amazing dinner, then Ches mentioned he wanted to go by Best Buy to look at a camera ('cause he thought I needed one, since I'm so into pictures), and I yelled, "The P90?" And he said, "How did you know which one I wanted to look at?!" and it was love, all over again. We think alike. And he spoils me. He is really knowing me, isn't it great? He got me these really expensive Oakley sunglasses (yes, hot pink!) since they were new, and I wear sunglasses EVERY day (to hold my hair back, and sometimes when driving), and I got all mad when I saw the charge on our checking account, and he said they were for him (hiding the expense), then I found out, and thought it was so sweet (but I don't like them: they catch my hair in the rubber nose thing, and they look super-sporty, but I'm more casual/prep/dressy, so I prefer blingy-glasses-that-I-can-abuse-then-get-new-ones). So, I don't love all my gifts, but I think it's lovely that he tries, and knows me. (He's been hinting at a new bike, so I'm sure he's warming me up to it. Think several thousand dollars. So, my stuff is just a drop in the bucket.) But I love him all the same. Sweet.