Spicy Dragons & Dinosaurs

On my, tornado sirens sing.

It is a wet, rainy, dark day for the first day of school. The first rainy first day of school we have had in Wisconsin, and teachers (at Franklin) were commenting that it had not rained in 10 years here on this important day.

Julia did great! And I haven't gotten a phone call yet -- she has another 45 minutes until she gets on the bus to come home. She was not that crazy about waking up, and I did help her get dressed, but she was cooperative and happy. Something that she has never been for a first day of school.

She put on her light jacket and joyfully took up her umbrella. She loves her umbrella! And put on her very heavy backpack and we headed out the door and across the street. Really, if the bus picked her up any closer to our house, I 'd be serving breakfast to a crowd of kids.

Julia mingled with the kids and adults waiting for the bus. She was very friendly, and although it is in her own way, which is not like other kids, she does have a way of spreading her joy. If she is able to keep joy . . . . mommy prays real hard! If she can be happy like she was this morning, she will learn and she will find her way.

Writing as I just did, I can almost feel that it is her fear, which turns into intense anger, that keeps Julia apart from other people. Her joy is a magnet.

After I saw Julia off, I went to our Kindergarten "Kiss & Cry" room at Franklin to greet new and old parents. This is PTO and Amy did ALL of the set up work, including getting the room. We had about 20 or so parents come through and grab cup of coffee and eat some fruit or cookies. And talk. It was wonderful.

I have been thinking that I could not handle PTO this year, and the logistics of it have been a burden weighing heavy on me, but talking to parents this morning was fun and good and right. It might be hard right now to do all that I need to do, but Amy and Dawn have said they will give me a lot of help right now. I do get such energy from people. And people need more of what we can do for and with them.

I came home from Franklin, and took a nap. Yes, it was almost 10. I think. I went up to bed and pulled the covers on and slept. And then did almost nothing this morning.

And it was just what I needed to do.