The Colors of August... and Beyond

Wow… This month has flown by!

Time seems to go faster when you get older. It’s amazing how we do so much in our day-to-day lives, that when you look back on say, a year, we as humans have a “survival mode” type of living and natural routine of personal needs.

I have adjusted and adapted to many changes in home life, schedules, and outlook on my sense of self over the past 30 days [let alone the past 8 mos. so far this year]. I started a new job; Kaia started Kindergarten; Holly started preschool.

Vibes of “New Beginnings” on the horizon started on the very first day of the month, as that was my first day at my new job. Less than two weeks after that, Kaia went to her first day of real school, attending Kindergarten as a full-time student. The mood continued on through the end of the month, with Holly starting preschool this past Thursday.

8/25/2011 - Holly at Preschool - First Day

 And through the midst of all the women in the family challenging life’s compatibility with our family, AlphaJ has been weaving in and out of the web of schedules that has woven itself into our Pack’s human routines, trying to maintain His own sanity and life’s needs.

Thankfully, we are Pack to the fullest and that makes coordinating and shifting a lot less stressful… Communication and willingness to help the world flow keep our Pack unified to the stronghold bond that makes us Pack. Thankfully, AlphaJ’s work allows him to rearrange accordingly to accommodate the needs and obligations of the family; making coordination more adaptive to everyone’s schedules… It’s all about balance.

We have been successful so far this week, with another new change to the mix of crazy schedules: Holly started riding the bus to preschool; morning and afternoon. She loves riding the bus and has commented on how “cool” it is that there are TWO buckles [they had special “harness” buckles installed over the summer, for a more secure ride in the big bus seats]. 

Her teachers are very nice and she seems to be making friends quickly. She is having a little trouble adjusting to the breakfast and lunch that the school serves; today was spaghetti, apple, and bread. She tried the spaghetti… no go. She ate the bread and part of the apple. I told her thank you for trying [she doesn’t like pasta sauce yet] but that she would get used to seeing and eating that for a meal at school. [She looked at me funny]. She’ll get used to the tastes. [I think my mom said (she read in a magazine) that,  15-20 times you have to feed a child a certain food before you can really decide if the child like that certain food or not].

[I think This food only took Once!!]

Kaia, as well, will be experiencing the “hot lunch” experience soon… I am signing her up for reduced meals; as I qualify, with my income. [Yay, Government!]  My mom and I chatted about this, because I have been sending Kaia with “cold” lunch since the first day. But, the thought and convo with Mom [abbreviated to]: If I can save just a little bit of money, letting [someone] else provide for my child while they do a “governmentally required” task like Going To School, then WHY NOT use their services to the fullest extent of my capabilities?!? These are hard times and we have to maintain survival… Right?!? …

Tomorrow is the last day of the month and it’s a hump day at that [Wednesday!]… September is on the horizon and Labor Day weekend is just around this corner.

Wow. September… The summer is officially coming to an end and the fall air is creeping into our lives [my morning workouts have been getting chillier each AM]. The leaves are already starting to turn. Although, with Fall  there brings another new life to the world, as we are “coming down” from the high of Summer and there is a new sense of yearly reality when you see the leaves take their course.

Fall; change; life: I’m ready.

 - Omegan :-D

"Yesterday's Todays"

Looking back on yesterday’s…

Kaia started her first day of Kindergarten on Tuesday the 9^th. I was very nervous for her; but, somehow, I knew she’d be okay… That she would adapt just fine. The Mom that I carry deep down in my heart Let Go of my first child, in the sense that I am now giving her learning powers and imagination the true strength it needs to soar.

[I remember my first day of Kindergarten; my mom had the same look on her face when I walked into the classroom that I Felt on my own face the day Kaia sat down in her seat at school].

Surprisingly to me, I have generally been easily accepting of this new change in her life; my life; the family’s life. It’s actually almost refreshing to know that she is going to be starting her learning journey from people other than Mom and Dad. [We don’t realize how many things, throughout our lives that we have learned from influences and resources outside of our homes].

Along with looking back on Yesterday’s:

When Kaia was going to preschool, a couple of years ago, I was in a different Life situation. I wasn’t able to give her life the attention it needed for the stage that she was in at the time. I was working and commuting nearly 80 hours a week, trying to maintain livelihood. With my Mom’s help, we traded and swapped the girls from house to car to apartment, to uphold schedules and “have-to’s.”

There were many times that Kaia would need to take something special to school, wear a special outfit, make something at home to take in; and I neglected a lot of those experiences. I felt awful after each unexpected disappointment. [It made me believe that I wasn’t a reliable Mother; even though I was, and I knew I was, because my girls were both happy and healthy, and I was doing what I needed to for our lives].

When I was sitting with Kaia (and Holly, too) at Kindergarten registration on August 2^nd, I looked around at all the other families there… and remembered how I felt going to my first day of REAL school; not just preschool. [Even as the 5 year old Megan that I was, somehow I knew that going to K was different than PreSch. It had a different aura… like you knew you were starting something Big].

At that moment, I vowed to myself and my Kaia, and my Holly, that I was going to be the support and reliability that they need during this new journey. The soil their roots need to base has been tilled; the water they absorb will moisten their roots to help them grow into their personalities… nurtured by the [Mother] Sun.

 - Omegan :-D