corrupting kindergarteners

dear kindergarten parents,

when my oldest started kindergarten,
there were some of those kids
in her class.

you know the ones.
the ones with - older siblings.
gah.

they know way too much
about pretty much everything.
they watch those shows.
the ones your kid is not allowed to watch.
they say lots of things they shouldn't.
really loudly.
twice.

they dress really weird,
because they dress themselves.

they don't always brush their hair.

they pick out their own backpacks.

they wear lipgloss,
body spray,
tattoos,
and sometimes,
eyeshadow!

they do their own art projects.
seriously, all by themselves.

their moms don't take any pictures
of them at orientation.
in fact, their moms don't even think
to bring a camera.

please be advised -
they will corrupt your first borns.
they will tell them dora is dumb.
thomas too.
and your child will come home with questions.
lots of questions.

and for that i am sorry.
because k starts kindergarten today.
and she is that kid.
the one with the older siblings.

best of luck to you all.

xo,
pj

in a flash

on friday, we got up early.
we had lots of things to do.
there was a storm coming.
we took our change to the coinstar-thingie
at the grocery store.
we dropped off the cat at the groomers.
the sky was dark,
but we kept going,
we had lots of things to do.

we finished our errands,
settled at home for more packing,
and m read the weather on her ipod.
she loves to do that.
"flash flood warning" she read out loud.
they worried.
i explained the chances of a flash flood
were very slim.
in the afternoon,
the dark skies opened.
i'm not sure i've ever seen it rain that hard.
the kids got their flashlights,
they worried.
i explained the chances of a flash flood
were very slim.

on saturday, we got up early.
mike went to get the moving truck.
a big day.
we loaded the boxes in the garage.
the kids watched a movie.
we were in our own world.
our neighbor stopped over to help.
he told us there was a flash flood
on one of the main roads to the city.
and some people had died.
we were shocked.
we kept packing.

later, he stopped back over.
the people were from here.
our town.
our people.
so sad.

then i got a call.
it was the griffith family.
our town.
our people.
our kids' friends.
my friend.

yesterday, i took my children
to a candlelight vigil at the school.
i wasn't sure they understood.
then i watched m hug her friend,
and comfort her for the loss of
her best friend and neighbor.
i watched g give another child his tissue,
and i cried because i knew they did understand.

on the way home,
they talked about flash floods again,
i started to explain the chances of a flash flood
were very slim, but i just couldn't.

then they asked this question,
"where was God?  why didn't he save them?"
i didn't know how to answer.
still don't.

and i am changed.

life with boys

when m was little
i used to meet her godmother
at the mall a lot.

she has two boys,
one a little older than m.

we would always go to the mall play place.
before we went in she would talk
with her boys.

"look at me,
look at my eyes,
no touching,
no pushing,
no wrestling,
no fake wrestling,
no kicking,
no fake kicking,
no punching,
no fake punching,
no fighting,
no fake fighting,
no running,
no jogging,
no shouting,
no yelling,
no jumping,
just play."

i used to go home and tell mm,
and giggle.
wth?

now i have a boy.
a son.
and i get that speech now.
hell, i GIVE that speech now.
i bow down.

but i still giggle.
a little.

cursed carpet

we take good care of our carpet.
it has been here for 12 years,
and it still looks great.

so, of course,
now that it doesn't
belong to us anymore
we've spilled -

pepsi,
coffee,
arby's sauce,
salsa,
and gatorade.

wow.
good thing we're moving.

33 and 1/3 infinity

i know it's late in the game,
but i just did my mommy math.

three kids means
each kid gets 33.3333333%
of my attention.

and that's only if i'm being fair.
and not trying to do something else.
wow, no wonder i'm insane.

sunday confession

the baby stink bugs
are so cute!
but so gross!

i'm conflicted.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

much older and wiser

"just throw that out, it was only 12 bucks"

"ah, just get a new one, it was only 7 bucks"

"oh toss it, that was like 3 bucks"

"can't we just get a new one later, it was only 20 bucks?"

mm keeps saying,
as we are packing.
oh and i stopped listening after 4,637 bucks.
or so.

i am so on to him.
now he's all - let's get rid of it - we'll get a new one,

but then later he's all - do we really need one?
or - we don't have any money left because
we spent it all on the new house...

i am so much older and wiser this move around.
just pack it, mister.