Schooled.

In the last 48 hours, I've attended high school orientation with my eldest and middle school orientation with my youngest. 
I've been reminded that middle school holds memories of boys who could dance and boys who couldn't and girls who were much too mean.
Boys were short.
Girls weren't.
And not much has changed.
High school holds too many memories to ... hold ...  neatly.  Kinda like my eldest's duct taped homework folder that is inches thick.  There was a lot of messy, but there was a lot of good.  A lot of things written in pen, not pencil.  Every emotion PERMANENT.  Things that lasted.  Thankfully, things that didn't. Things that should've been written in pencil.  Nothing I would change.
Some things smelled a little bit funny.  Some things were much too valuable.
Luckily, the boys are now taller to help them see.
Some lucky girls are, too. 
Help them see eye to eye.
Help them help each other.
Help them fit.
Remind them to write it in pencil first.
This is going to be an extraordinary year.  Without a doubt.
A valuable year.
My youngest wishes to skim past his first year in middle school and graduate straight to 7th grade where there is wood shop and football.  We could've been classmates he and I.  Many of my 6th grade brethren aspired to the same thing.   A couple of them could dance. 
I KNOW my boy can.
They will fit fine. 
We are sharpening our pencils. 

Gras 2012 Day One

Mama remembered.
So did The Tall One.
A card and gift.
I'm insufferable, really.
Day One of my 30-day celebration of my birthday.
Here we go.

Christening.

I wore those new red boots tonight.  For the first time.
To see/hear David Sedaris.
Who is brilliant.
And crude.
And poignant.
And perfect.
And just right and worthy for the maiden voyage of a new pair of (very shiny) red boots.

Footloose.

I was in the custom boot shop downtown the other day where every boot is too pricey and every employee too hip and important to wait on you. Out loud, I quoted from Footloose. (The old not the new Footloose cuz some how they left the lovely that is this red boot quote out of the new one.)
"My daddy hates me wearing these boots."
And when she heard me, the employee turned and said, "I love that movie."
But, yet, she never tried to sell me the red boots. And if she'd shown me any love at all, they might be mine.
And that makes me want them even more.

A new day.

He asked me last night if I noticed anything different.  And seemed huffy when I said, "Wha?"
"You haven't noticed I've started turning my socks right side out?"
"Since when?" I asked, explaining I had just done a load of laundry and had to flip all his socks before washing.
"Well, I know I've done it at least once."
And he showed me.
Indeed he had.
That's life-changing right there.
For The Big One.

He also completed a science project from START to FINISH w/ NO help except a little parental brainstorming.

The Short One calls "hopscotch" "hip hop."  
Precious.

The Gras Day

This is what Grandmommy would call Date Perfume.
And this day is what I'd call perfection. Surprises on my porch and calls from people I didn't even know knew it was my birthday.
Advertising works. ;)

GRAS 29

Surprised at how 90,000 Aggies can go silent with a loss. And then immediately kick up the hospitality with food, drink and good cheer. The occasion of football at Kyle Field always makes me smile.
And TODAY on the eve of my birthday the Ags "honored me" with a flyover of epic proportions. Last year I got Apache helicopters. Pretty cool. This year??? F-16s!! Pretty majestic.
The moon is a beautiful crescent tonight. Perfect and Halloweeny.
My birthday wishes for tomorrow?
Sleep late. Take a nap. Go to bed early.
Abundant sleep is always a pleasant surprise.