Looking up

Things are looking up lately—DD1 is all settled into her school year, excited that she’s remained in her reading advanced class and it looks like she was elevated to the math advanced class this year, too.  I’m so proud of her! 

She really worked hard for the math, since she wasn’t in it last year.   I remember asking her teacher and even the principal about it (yes, I was THAT mom), only because I know she excels at math and she LIKES it.  If it weren’t for those two reasons, I wouldn’t have bothered.  It turned out that last year, her back to school math test had lowered her overall score (she’d excelled the year before that), and she missed “the cut” by three students.  So one year of extra math workbook (suggested by her teacher) and one summer of flashcard ‘math facts’ practice later, no problem, she was in like Flynn.  And the way that SHE was SO PROUD of herself, well—that makes my heart beat proudly, too!  I can’t believe how fast she’s growing up.  Some of the books this summer she read:

Tales from the Fourth Grade Nothing

Harry Potter, books 4, 5, 6

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (heart tug, one of my favorites!)

Holes

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (a bunch of different ones).

I’m not listing these titles to be an annoying overachiever mom, lol.  I’m listing them because these books, or books like them (since Harry Potter and Holes and Diaries didn’t exist when I was a kid), had a profound effect on my imagination, on my personality.  I was becoming a person, I remember feeling like a whole person at DD1’s age.  And now she’s there, doing the same thing.  Asking me about love and sex and why do boys act weird around girls.  And sharing with me her concerns and thoughts and I see the wheels turning in her smart little head.  Ah, DD1!  How on earth did you grow so fast?  (btw, I’m not saying we aren’t “persons” at younger ages…I just remember parts of my crystalized in fourth grade…)

As for DD2, she is getting excited about kindergarten.  Her preschool pals are one-by-one leaving preschool as they enroll in their respective schools.  She has two and half weeks left, I can’t believe it!  She tells me she wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up, or a worker, or a clothes dresser, or a helper.  I love how she thinks. 

Again, what happened time?

But I’m so grateful for the passage of time.  I remember four years ago—standing on the abyss, unsure of everything and the sleepless nights, waiting, counting, worrying.  DD2 was just a baby, she couldn’t even talk!  DD1, always the sensitive, loving, caring soul, so worried about everyone. 

Now they are embracing life and life’s adventures with gusto, curious to see what’s around the next corner, giggling excitedly at the newest sight.  Their delight and energy for life makes me realize that all that pain, those shadows, those demons fought and overcome—it was worth it.  It will always be worth it.