Yesterday, I looked at and ordered the first of the picture/document files in the big chronological file. It was the file with pictures and documents about my paternal grandparents. I have pilfered that stash of photos, framing and hanging the pictures of my grandparents and their friends at various weddings. Still, what struck me is how little there is. I have a rich store of memories but pitiful few mementos. There were not reading and writing people. The only writing I have is their signatures on mortgage documents. Because my grandmother received some letters, I assume that she also wrote some, but possibly as friend of hers did her writing for her. I don’t know.
Not knowing so much spurs me on to the sorting and ordering. I also started writing what I know about my grandparents and my impressions of them. I filled five pages and I am not quite done. I fear the I will not have much to write about David’s family and they will be lost to my girls save what they remember for themselves. I wish that David had taken the time to write what he knew of his family. I will do my best.
Some Julia things: Julia tied her shoes for the first time by herself two days ago. Truth be told, she may have been able to do this previously; however, she was generally unable to do it a few years ago and to give her some independence with getting dressed, she wore only shoes that were attached with velcro or were slip ons. I bought her a paid of regular tie sneakers last weekend for the camping trip she is going on with her class. The first time she put on the shoes, she tried to tie the laces. I let her struggle for a little while. She asked for help and I showed her how to tie using the “bunny ear” method of two knots. I did it slowly and talked it through as I did it, and then left her to do the second one alone. And she got it.
She is learning to play hangman and “hot and cold.” With hangman, she is learning to keep the word secret and a tougher challenge, to guess letters and not words. I am hopeless at word games. I have no imagination when I see a bunch of blanks. I never figure out the word. Julia, on the other hand, letter crunches in her head. She is not good at it yet, but she might be.
Tomorrow morning, Julia is off to a camp called Upham Woods with her class and other fourth grade classes. Her teachers have foreshadowed the activities and the rules. We have schedules and picture maps. We’ve talked about it at home, and Julia slept over at Amy’s house to see how she would feel away from home. Her teacher and I have been emailing and calling. Julia is prepared, much more prepared than the rest of her class. I so hope that she feels okay about the experience.
i had a lot of meetings today -- bank financial advisor, social worker to see Julia’s continued eligibility for state services, noon thai chi, the religious education team meeting, as well as doing some very important birthday errands. I am bushed and read to close my eyes.
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