Week In Review

Monday: Asher and I attended kindergarten orientation. I expected to see a classroom or two, meet a teacher and then leave, but instead I walked into a huge auditorium full of staff, parents and kids. Asher had a split second of panic when the kids were dismissed to various classrooms, but quickly recovered when he saw friends from his preschool. I couldn't get over how different Asher's school experience will be from my own. In my little elementary school, there was a principal, school counselor and the teachers. At his orientation, I was introduced to a principal, vice principal, a school counselor and school psychologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, social worker, and parent liaison. Apparently, you aren't allowed to talk to the administration, but have to go through a middle man. Asher will have "specials" including the ones I had as a student....p.e., music, art, library.....but also movement, computer lab, and science lab. There are computers all over his classroom. There is a huge garden in the back of the school that all the kids are responsible for. In the third grade, he will take violin and then pick an instrument for subsequent grades. I think our classroom finally got a computer in the sixth grade and we rocked the recorders in music class. Science lab? I didn't see one of those until high school.

Tuesday: It is officially crunch time at my office. Only a month until we launch this year's summer program. Work was much more fun and stress-free in say....February. I also got word that I get to stay on through the fall and launch our after-school robotics program to area schools. I really do have a cool job.

Wednesday: I officially found out Noe's teacher won't be returning next year. It was tough. There were tears. I felt like she was breaking up with me. After I nominated you for that special education award and organized that great Christmas gift you are LEAVING me for another school district? How could you? I am kidding, sort-of. She is still a wonderful person and I hope we can still be friends.

Thursday: I visited with a woman who fled Iraq with her family two years ago and has been struggling to make a life in the U.S. A friend and I are going to try and help her locate some resources and find a part-time job. I feel a little overwhelmed about adding anything else to my overflowing plate, but I am very drawn to this woman. She misses her own country but is trying very hard to make a good life here. I can relate to her in a small way. I kind-of felt like I was living in Queens again for those couple of hours rather than snotty NoVA. That part felt good.

Friday: Ed's first official Friday night off. In the ten years that I've been with him, he's never had Friday nights off from work with any sort of regularity. After dinner, we took the kids to Lake Anne to listen to live jazz and watch the boats on the lake. I decided that we're in the market for a canoe....but probably not until next year. How much fun would that be? We also hiked around the lake and got minimal complaints from the Anti-Hiker (Asher). Then we went out for ice cream.

Saturday: Asher asked me THE QUESTION. He has had lots of friends, and a cousin, become big brothers and sisters lately, so it's been on his mind. I thought I had handled it well....giving him honest, but not graphic answers. Until just before bed when he asked if "you and Papi" could go into the kitchen tomorrow and make a baby brother. Apparently, to Asher, making babies is a lot like making cookies.