Letting Go

So now you know what London and T.J. do for fun. They swipe a cute little car from some unsuspecting neighbor kid who has left it unattended and off they go down the street as fast as London's little Flintsone feet will carry them. They actually get going pretty fast. Had this been my first or even my second child, I may have stopped this little excursion with something like, "Get down before you break your neck" or "I don't have time for a head wound today." But alas, I have evolved ....

I sat on the porch and read my book and didn't even look up at everyone who drove by and wondered who these poor unattended children were and why their mother wasn't stopping them. Nobody got hurt, and they had a great time. London even graciously slowed down before turning the corner, and T.J. held on with amazing strength and agility. She braked hard a few times, and he slid pretty far forward but held on tight. Way to go T.J. They tried it the other way with London riding on the roof, but she is apparently too lanky and the balance of the whole operation was off. Good thing we don't live at the top of a big hill ....

Not So Scary

T.J. had a field trip yesterday for preschool. His very first one! I was even feeling brave and let him wear underwear instead of a pull-up, and he did great (yeah!!!). We're talking about a serious milestone here people. He thought he was pretty big stuff and had to call daddy the moment we left the fire station to tell him all about it. It was fun to see him so excited and acting all big and grown up. Too cute. We went to the park (for class pictures) and then to the library and the fire station. Needless to say, he LOVED the fireman and the big trucks.

So, they had a fireman talk to the kids and get to know them a little bit, and then he got all dressed up in his gear to show the kids that it was still him and he was still their friend so they wouldn't be scared. Apparently that is an issue when they come to help kids in an emergency. A couple of the kids came totally unglued. There was screaming and crying and all that. T.J. (normally a bit of a chicken) was totally brave and volunteered to give the fireman a hug. So cute.

Never Forget

I can't believe it has been seven years since "9/11." I can't believe how fresh the memories of that day and that time are in my mind. It is like it just happened. We lived in Draper at the time (two houses and two kids ago), and I remember so well turning on the TV early in the morning for my daily dose of Matt and Katie (a habit that has long since faded ....), and I saw a building on fire. I called to Dave in the bathroom and remember telling him the World Trade Center was on fire. We kind of looked at each other like, "Where is that again?" He was in the bathroom getting ready when I saw the tape of the plane steering into the tower, and I yelled to him that it was a plane. By this time, Dave was already a pilot and I remember him watching that plane and gasping and saying that this was no accident. I didn't believe him. The thought never crossed my mind that we were under attack. We watched that plane over and over flying right into the tower, and Dave just kept saying that it was no accident. I remember the sinking feeling in my stomach when they started reporting on the news that we were under attack. I just felt sick and shocked and scared. Everything felt so unsettled that day.

I remember just wanting to hold my kids. I remember deliberating whether Dave should go to work or not and not wanting him to leave. I remember the TV being on for the next three days straight. I remember all those people on TV holding up pictures of their loved ones and asking if anyone had seen them. I remember people waiting for hours to give blood and scrambling to find ways to help and to give and to serve. The spirit of the American people during that time was amazing. It was like, for once, we were all united as a nation. As tragic as it was, the feeling of unity in this country was amazing, and I've never seen anything like it and sadly, that spirit has faded a bit.

Austin and Jackson had a lot of questions this morning about 9/11 and what it has meant to our country. It is so important to me that they understand what happened and why and what it means to be an American. I want them to understand what a "hero" really is. They had a hard time understanding why terrorists hate America, and for me, it was surprisingly hard to explain. I tried to help them understand that kids just like them who happened to be born on the other side of the world are raised to hate and destroy while at the same time we are trying to teach our children to love and serve.

I was surprised how much the boys knew about 9/11 and the war and our country's security and their interest in the political process going on now. They were shocked that we had a candidate running for President of the United States that has NO PLAN WHATSOEVER on how to keep our country safe from the terrorists who brought upon us one of the greatest tragedies in American history. I guess I'm a little shocked myself. I think the problem is that we've forgotten what it felt like that day. It is like that song:

I hear people saying we don't need this war,
I say there's some things worth fighting for
What about our freedom and this piece of ground?
We didn't get to keep 'em by backing down
They say we don't realize the mess we're getting in
Before you start preaching
Let me ask you this my friend

Have you forgotten how it felt that day
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away?
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside
Going through a living hell
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

They took all the footage off my T.V.
Said it's too disturbing for you and me
It'll just breed anger that's what the experts say
If it was up to me I'd show it every day
Some say this country's just out looking for a fight
After 9/11 man I'd have to say that's right

Have you forgotten how it felt that day
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away?
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside
Going through a living hell
And we vowed to get the ones behind Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

I've been there with the soldiers
Who've gone away to war
And you can bet that they remember
Just what they're fighting for

Have you forgotten all the people killed?
Yes, some went down like heroes in that Pennsylvania field
Have you forgotten about our Pentagon?
All the loved ones that we lost
And those left to carry on
Don't you tell me not to worry 'bout Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

My Tax Dollars At Work

The kids started school a few weeks ago, and I've got to say, we're loving it!! Everyone is happy with their teacher, and I am loving the schedule and structure that school time brings. London just happened to be the most excited kid on the planet to start kindergarten. She's been asking daily when she gets to go to the "big school" for at least a year and a half. This might be partly our fault for moving right across the street from said "big school." So for four years, she has watched the kids come and go and be out at recess playing and having fun. Yep, she was ready, and off she went.

Don't mind the strained look on Austin and Jackson's faces. They're just excited about school ....

So, here's my confession ... I'm not one of those mom's that cries and gets all emotional when their kids head off to school for the first time. (Now, I do have one more to go, and he is my baby, so we'll see if that holds true.) Before you think I'm a bad mom, let me explain. My emotions are kept at bay by the simple understanding that I think school is SO good for kids. In so many ways - socially, emotionally, mentally, psychologically, etc. There are things that kids learn at school that they really don't learn anywhere else, so I'm a big fan.

The whole learning thing is awesome. I love it when they come home with some new interesting thing they have learned and can't wait to share it with me (i.e., Austin's knowledge of composers, the Beatles, and John Williams that he picked up in his music class that far surpasses anything I know about any of those things). I just love how excited they get about field trips and assemblies and fun little things they are working on in class, and how they admire their teachers and look up to them (i.e. Jackson's teacher grew up in Japan and knows about Pokemon and other neat stuff, and according to Jackson, she just could not be any cooler).

So the other thing is, when they are gone, I can get HUGE amounts of stuff done that they would just really not like to be involved in (i.e., laundry, cleaning, painting, my work, naps, grocery shopping, etc.), and then when they get home, I'm all theirs. We sit on the swing on the front porch and talk about their day and then we read and work on homework and sometimes go for a bike ride or to the library, and I don't have to keep saying "hang on, hang on, hang on."

So my "handsome" started preschool this year with Miss Jenny (London's teacher for the last two years). Even with how clingy and "mama's boy" he is, he marched right into his little classroom and turned and waved bye to me. He was all happy about being at school. He calls it "London's little school." He loves preschool and he loves Miss Jenny (of course). Could he look any cuter with that backpack on?

I have to say Dave and I are so grateful to live so close to such a nice new school. We have had a wonderful experience with Eagle Valley Elementary so far, and I'm sure this year will be no different. We've had great teachers and I have enjoyed working in each of their classrooms, helping with the take home reading library, running the book fairs, making dinner for the teachers during SEPs, going on field trips, helping with class parties, etc. We love being part of such a small close knit community. I love sitting on my porch and knowing most of the people that walk by taking their kids to school. I might even laugh at these same people when they start driving their kids two blocks to school as soon as the temperature goes below 50. Ha ha!

So basically I'd say we're off to a pretty good start. Or as Austin would say, "Two weeks down, 34 more to go."