Starting Off

This week brought us another round of new routines.  After Labor Day, Elisa's bus to school started back on Tuesday morning which made life a lot easier. No more moving the car every single morning and searching the nabe for parking when alternate side makes it a nightmare. Carolina enjoyed one last day of freedom before school started, but unfortunately that involved a round of vaccinations to prepare for UPK on Wednesday. She handled it like a pro and was rewarded with lunch and ice cream at Shack Shake.  It was a beautiful morning in the city so we walked through Union Square later as she pleaded to find a toy store. The girl does love her toys. But alas, all we found was a Trader Joe's Wine Store *wink, wink*  So we made it back home to Queens a little loaded down, but just in time to take a well earned nap and let Carolina sleep off some of her shots. She hasn't napped much at all this summer, so it was especially sweet to see her collapse after about 5 minutes of stalling and flopping around her bed. The kid was out. And yet, she slept fine that evening too. Getting it all in before the big day... 

And then school for Carolina officially started.  UPK. Full day from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It's one of those transitions that I have been anticipating for months, maybe years. And now it's here and it's better than I could have expected. She is so happy to be at school with her friends. There is no hesitation. She loves it. She smiles like that every day. She is a hoot, and I love her enthusiasm beyond belief. 

And finally, tonight, September 11th, we made it back from the park late enough to see the lights shining bright over Manhattan. After a second full day of school and her first dance class, I would have thought Carolina would be ready to pass out. But she was eager to climb the stairs with me and check out the skyline aglow. Elisa was too. I prefaced our climb to the top with a little story about the lights and how there had been two big buildings there years ago. But they were gone now. "How did they come down?" Elisa asked. I told her as best I could that some very bad people wanted to destroy them. "What if the buildings hadn't come down?" "Well, then, things would be different." "The world would be different?" Yes, it would. I wish I knew how. It's not something I want to make them aware of until they are ready to ask about it. How can any of us understand the meaning of that horrible day? Tonight we just watched the beams of light shooting up into the clouds. They moved slowly by and somehow the clouds started to shine like a portal into another world. I teared up a little. It was time to go back inside. Yes, it was late and I was tired. A week of new beginnings and lots of things to be grateful for. Life. This life is good. Even when it overwhelms me.