Dear 10 year old me

Dear me,




You are pretty cool. Don't let anyone make you think differently. Even though you are about to change schools, and that is going to suck, don't stop being you. Don't forget your best friends, David and Pam, will be going to the same middle school as you. They will be friends for life, especially Pam. When you get that fever in Middle school and cough that won't go away? Tell your mom it's asthma. Treat it and it will go away. Missing all those days during the Iran Hostage Crisis was really not fun. Even if you are working on "contracts" for math and reading -- doing all that homework by yourself won't be any fun, and you'll miss out on formative stuff with your girlfriends.



When big sis is acting out, ask her questions. Lots and lots and lots of questions. And listen, carefully to the answers. They may be clues later on. Write it down. Maybe in a diary, so you can go back over it later on in life.



Play your best and do your best every time. Life is not a dress rehearsal. And the people you meet who will piss you off? Forget them. Quickly. Indifference is the opposite of love. The faster you learn that lesson, the better off we'll be.



When that boy in Colorado wants you to wear his ring? Don't do it. Big waste of time.



The rest you will figure out on your own. You're a smart kid. People like you -- when you are you. Don't try to be anyone else. It's hard enough to keep up with you!



I love you, 10 year old self. You'll make a great mom some day. And have lots of other careers, too. xox


With much love,
Me - much older, not much wiser.

a few more first day shots

Ernie is so special. And the relationship between he and Evelyn is
just magic. I love the way they interact with one another. Here are
a few more pictures from his first day - in front with the "big rock",
the sun in their eyes, walking across the "dridge" [sic], Ernie, with
the knowing look in his eyes, and with Evelyn. He loves his teacher
and the other kids in the class and he's enjoying his first week
immensely!

randoms from Cessie/Dick visit

first day of prek for Ernie. Love you little man.

Grade 3, day 1.

Dru on his first day of Third Grade! Man, I can't believe how fast
this is going.