First Day of School

Karina* started First Baptist Pre-school this month. Well, technically it started last month but we were busy "researching" and "interviewing" so we got a late start. (Technically is it CMO or MMO? I never know whose morning it really is, so I just say school). I used to be kind of embarrassed that it was such a hard decision, but recently I have embraced that is just who I am. I like to have all the information before I make my decision. I like to know the facts as well as all the fuzzy gray areas. Really, I just have a hard time letting go.

After all that...drumroll... it came down to who had what days available. Luckily, I can't say enough good things.

They say a lot of things about Karina too, mostly good and usually funny.

1. She initially resisted sitting in her highchair. (Two year olds still use high chairs? That one was my fault.) Sometimes she reaches over to grab her neighbor's food if it looks better. And please don't block her view of Dora while she eats.

2. I was told to pack PB & J after the teacher gave her own sandwich to Karina. No more exotic lunch packing for me.

3. If women are playing tennis next door, Karina gets upset, runs to the chain link fence, and cries for her Mamma. I feel guilty and I don't even play in a league.

4. And I quote..."She likes the bad boys that drive their cars really fast in the center of the room." Nice. That's what every mom wants to hear.

But when I pick her up I see laughter and excitement. I see Karina with Miss Cathy working puzzles and playing instruments. I can see her little brain working and I feel the warm fuzzies from the teachers. I see she has made a BFF, and it is a girl. We are both at ease.

*The stick did not make it to school.

Summer Weddings, Continued

Last month we went to Vermont for a "destination wedding," a family visit, and vacation. Yes, in Vermont you really can do all those things.* Dan's friend from college Elon married in a moving Jewish wedding. It really was unforgettable, with stunning scenery, private fireworks, and a horse drawn carriage. They chose the Mountain top Inn in Chittenden, Vermont as their destination. Where Chittenden is I still don't know. Which is exactly the point I suppose. Somewhere nestled in the Appalachian mountains** away from the world, except during ski season of course.

I've started calling these short trips vacation weddings because we pack quite the punch into a long weekend. This time we traveled throughout Rhode Island and Vermont, my favorite being Newport Beach, RI. This also happened to be Karina's first beach experience. She cried when we left -- "Bye, bye wa, wa!!" which made me want to cry as well. Hey, one can never have too much beach in their life.

Lucky for her and me, we are heading back to Newport this week for Summer Weddings, Part III: Karen & Rich.

*I had to laugh because one of their state's slogans is "What happens in VT, stays in VT. But, nothing ever really happens here!" Really, it is the slogan. However, it is so beautiful and pristine that you love it just the way it is.

**We tried to hike some of the Appalachian trail. A couple of miles in, we saw seasoned hikers with heavy sticks and backpacks coming down as were heading up, with an 18 mo. old in tow. Needless to say we had not done our map reading research and we did not finish climbing the summit.