4/7/2010 Open House

Tonight was Open House at Gabriel and Julian's school. That's the 3rd night in a row we've had something going on in the evening -- with Dave away. We went, it was instructive and fun, but still made for a hectic evening.

With Dave out of town, the boys have to pick up the slack. They're big enough (barely) to bring the garbage and recycling cans in from the curb.




One thing I learned at the open house in Julian's classroom (aside from the fact that Gabriel sometimes joins him in class in the morning....grrr): Julian is quite the creative writer in kindergarten! His teacher (a substitute since his original teacher is on maternity leave) said that she had him read this story aloud for the PM group (Julian is AM), and that they all wrote better stories after hearing his, inspired!

One day a cup came to life. It attacked machines and people. I came to the rescue and attacked the cup, which put the cup back to normal.

I guess this appeals to kindergartners...though the idea of a cup coming to life appeals to me too. Gabriel's teachers also note his "voice" in writing, and my dear nephew Aidan is all about writing stories...now Julian. Could it be that we have a family of writers?

The Open Houses include giving parents a book of the kids' writing work. It was so fun and interesting seeing what Julian wrote about (Gabriel's was more prescribed). He wrote about our ski trip, our trip to Edwards Air Force Base for the airshow, decorating for Halloween...and this: my relating to the boys about my time playing hockey with their cousin Aidan (my very creative nephew). Seeing the video and hearing my stories made quite the impression on Julian, and he wrote about it!

This perhaps isn't as creative, but I love seeing what he thinks about and how he absorbs and relates my stories:

(spelling corrected:)

On a beautiful Wednesday my Mom went to New York.
She played ice hockey with my cousin.
When she was about to hit my cousin hit it out of her way.

Kids are amazing. They force you to stay in the moment. Their antics keep you from fretting every second about life's more serious sides.

Still, I was anxious to get my three reality checks to bed tonight so I could do some necessary fretting. My beloved sister-in-law, Laura, has been in surgery for 10 hours today. Dave just emailed me that it went well and she'll be back in ICU in a few hours. But I can't imagine there's anything routine about brain surgery.

Laura is such a rock in our lives...so alive, so present, so solid, so vital. The idea of her in the hospital, drugged, ill, not completely there to give me her usual insightful, thoughtful and kind insights....unthinkable. My world is rocked. I can't live without her. This isn't about me of course, but it feels like it is, because I just can't bear the idea of her not being there 200%, as always. I need to hear she's OK so I can finally really cry.

4/7/2010