Some Parting Thoughts

I love preschool. Jude and I got some real quality time to hang out today - we even played at the "fair" (his make-believe game of turning our living room into a fair). I became his little playmate and it was such a wonderful bonding time!! What I didn't expect was that he would wail when we dropped Samuel off - he missed him so much and was so sad that he couldn't go to school as well. Looks like we will be investing in Teacher Susie's school for many years...
When I came to pick Samuel up, the kids were lined up on the bench receiving their cookie and learning manners:Samuel was the "helper" for the day (Colin and I think that maybe he volunteered because he really is the teacher's pet type). They worked on the letter "A" and learned about circles. They sang songs, got eggs from the chickens and did a paper craft. He let me know that he didn't hit anyone (which is funny because he really isn't a hitter). He was exhausted and so excited and wants to go every day of the week now.
To console Jude from missing his brother, we stopped at Grandma Jan's work (the police dept.) and she came to the rescue with a treat bag for Jude. He loved it! Oh, man. It really does take a village to raise a child, doesn't it?!

I want to freeze time on days like today - not let my kids get any older, holding onto that sweet innocence that is so fleeting when the teenage and adult years set in. I love that Jude looks at me today and says "I'm not mad at you" for no reason at all. That the baby giggles and holds her arms up as I come near her and Samuel brings piles of books to me because he knows that I can't resist reading to him. Perhaps this really is my magnum opus.