Happy Birthday, Grace!

Beginning yesterday, my life just went from zero to sixty in three seconds. And there's no indication things will slow down in the next three years either.

A quick recap:

1. Yesterday was the end-of-the-year party at the kids' preschool, Spanish For Fun Academy. Not only was it Johnny's last day with one of his favorite teachers, it was her last day there ever, and Grace's last regular day too. But I can hardly call yesterday "regular." I pulled together snacks, cupcakes, and a Cinderella pinata for Grace's class of 20-something for a short private birthday party celebration for her before the school-wide end-of-year party started. But what I thought was going to be an intimate party of twenty turned into a free-for-all party of 33. By the grace of God I had enough cupcakes, treat bags, and candy for all 33 kids. That's how you do it at SFFA--if the teachers say they're going to combine two classes for the party (whether or not you'd planned for that), you run with it. It's characteristic chaos that we often find ourselves in at SFFA, but it's laced with lots of love an inclusion so who's complaining? I can't even believe it was Grace's last real day there after going for 5 years, but I haven't had time to process it and let it sink in.

2. After doing the pinata and singing Happy Birthday to Grace no fewer than 6 times, (3 in English and 3 in Spanish...because she's six and that's how they do it) I turned my attention to Johnny's end-of-the year party and cut a rug with him and his classmates, his two wonderful teachers and two of my favorite mom-friends. Celebrated with both kids' classes? Check. I could then go to work.

3. I drove to work to Cary, via the Hillsborough Wal Mart, in search of a Cinderella dress for Grace (whose actual birthday is today) because I'd already checked 2 Targets and another Triangle Wal Mart and nowhere else had the Cinderella dress. That's the main thing she wanted this year, and I found it! Made it to work and was able to focus just long enough to get a few things done before heading off to Kindergarten Orientation/Open House at Grace's new school, Perry Harrison Elem.

4. David and the kids beat me there and it was a complete zoo inside, but I quite liked the animals I saw. Grace's teacher and assistant seem wonderful, and I shined right up to the Hispanic parents of the little girl named Saira, gushing that Grace habla Espanol. We feel real good about Grace's placement in Kindergarten (which officially begins Monday) but I have lots of policies to read, papers to fill out, and procedures to memorize. Kindergarten Orientation is huge HUGE, but I had to swiftly leave Orientation for a church meeting and when I returned from the church meeting, my time was occupied thinking about Grace's birthday today and my first day of classes in the Social Work program.

5. David took today off to take the kids to a birthday party and then to Chuck-E-Cheeses (which I've learned was a big hit, and Johnny managed to entertain himself for hours playing the games without actually putting any coins in the machines while Grace entertained herself for 10 minutes by putting all of her coins in one game. Good times). We started her birthday yesterday in an unorthodox way by presenting her with her Cinderella dress, purse, and gloves last night (which she slept in) and wrapping up a few presents for her to open over cheerios.

6. Her "real" party is tomorrow is at Scrap Exchange, a cool place in Durham that allows kids to go crazy making craft projects with recycled items. When I finish this post, I'm going to put this ice cream cake together to freeze overnight and then crash for a long slumber until it all starts back in the morning.

I love my life.