A Perfect Day?

So do you ever idealize a certain situation when it looms out in the future? I had thought about my first day of TAing on and off all summer. What would I wear, what would I say, how would things go were questions I had pondered.

So yesterday morning, even though I got up a little late, I was pretty calm and collected. Anna wanted me to take her picture for the 2nd Day of School and I obliged because she was looking like a cutie patootie. She's way into posing for the camera right now which explains this little hunched down, knee bent, funny expression picture... super models watch out - a three year old redhead will soon be stealing your runway!

Anyway, we headed out on the interstate and traffic was awful but I kept my cool. About 15 minutes into the drive, Anna begins to complain that she wants to go home, but I keep both she and myself together, and we get off the interstate eventually and head toward campus. About one block shy of the RCA Dome, which ~ 2 miles from our epicenter of the campus, Anna's complaints intensify and she eventually throws up all over herself in the backseat - WHOA, I totally did not see that one coming.

Now for those of you who know me well, I do not do well with vomit (I even gag looking at the word). Brian and I had a pre-marital agreement that he would handle cleaning such bodily fluids and I would assist with the pulling of teeth if we were to have children. He's made good on his promise so far, knowing that if he didn't clean it up, I would end up getting sick and he'd be cleaning up both of us. And my day will eventually come with the whole teeth thing. All of this is beside the point, I did my best to blot her off and turned the Bravada around and made the 30 minute trek home to Greenwood. Praise God traffic wasn't too bad as most folks were headed into the city instead of out of it.

Once we got home, I got both Anna and the car cleaned up and began to do damage control. My TAship doesn't really start until the afternoon, so the morning was clear to be home with her but I wasn't sure what I would do when I needed to leave. Luckily, B's very gracious boss, the wonderful Mr. Jack Smart, volunteered to cover a case for Brian @ 1 PM so he could come home and be with Anna. So, he zipped in @ 12:50 and I zipped out. I made it to campus and had a successful day - it really felt comfortable to me, even though the conduct of the students (which I could do a whole other post about) is far from my undergrad experience. Anyway, I met with Bob, aka Dr. Barrows, for a few minutes after class (he kept them the entire time the first day, I bet they didn't care for that too much) and then got in the car, fought rush hour traffic and made my way back to Greenwood. B and I chatted for a few minutes and then hopped back in the car and went to night court (cue the sitcom music here).

So all of this to say, not in a million years would I have envisioned yesterday to go the way it did. However, flexibility is the name of the game when God puts children in your care. He provided a way for everything to work out and in many ways it was a perfect day - stomach bug and all!

My Little Scholar

Here's Anna on her first day of school at her classroom window! She had a great day, making a new friend named Baker and also apparently an arch-enemy simply known as "the curly haired girl." We think the curly haired girl must have a sad heart since she kicks and takes things away from others. For lunch, she had a salad, hotdog, and corn (but she didn't eat the salad). They sang songs and read the book "The Silly Teacher." She played on the playground but didn't go down the slide because it was too hot. She took a nap and might have been the last to get up since when I arrived she was the only one at the snack table and she looked a little disoriented. Miss Elizabeth, her teacher, was very nice and said Anna had a great day.

I survived but couldn't hold out til 4:30 PM to pick her up, arriving around 3:30 instead. I know, I'm a wimp. But I'm sure it will be easier on Wednesday as my class doesn't end until 3:45 PM and I'm supposed to hang around and be available for students. But I did get a lot done in the morning hours and took a very long walk (the length of the entire canal and back!) at lunch time. It was beautiful today (I have the farmer's "tan" to prove it, too).

First Day of School...

Ok, so I have the jitters. I slept awful last night. I'm up at the crack of dawn, making coffee, doing laundry, and making lunches... it can only mean one thing - first day of school! Now, it's not my first day of school (my TAship doesn't officially start until Wednesday); however, it is Anna's first day @ the IUPUI Center for Young Children (there's a link to the right, go to "Take a Tour" and there's a nice QuickTime video of the place). I have the nervous mommy, my little baby's growing up so fast blues. Anna is totally ready. Even though she is still sleeping right now, her backpack is packed, and she's been pestering me about this moment for about two months. We'll see how the day goes. She'll be there from about 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM. I promise to post pictures later on this evening and give you a full report.

Pray for us both if you get the chance. I think I'll need it more than she. But thank the Lord for one way glass, so I can be the creepy lady in the hall all day long, staring into her classroom. :)