Monday, January 12, 2009

Just a Monday.



I helped in Grace's class today. I read a few books to 20 kids. Their eyes absorbed everything they saw, the Bernstain Bears, my facial expression and the way my voice sounded. After that, they went to do some testing including tying shoes, relay races and dexterity exercises. Before I came, they were coloring a booklet about continents. Continents?! I swear, school has gotten much harder since my time. I love to see Grace in action, fussing with this person and that person and so-and-so and then perching on my lap for the last few minutes. I love her and her thick grown-up black hair splaying down her shoulders and back.

I left there and found myself walking into the school parking lot deep in thought. Lillie was there in the stroller right in front of me, only 6 months into her busy little life. Her thumb was moving back and forth, back and forth, against the grooved nylon strap of the seat belt, her eyes staring straight forward. As she memorized the feeling of nylon, its rough texture and edges, she breathed in the breeze as it pushed its way up her nose and watched the leaves moving across the cement.

She is the next big thing. She will move on from feeling straps and breathing wind without a conscious thought. She'll move onto crawling and walking and picking up cheerios with her thumb and forefinger. Pretty soon she'll be worried about why Molly wears oil in her hair and what her teacher's first name is. Today I felt like I was truly in the middle of a cycle. Right smack in the middle. I guess my own mother probably realized this along the line. And now it's hit me. In my 29th year. My place in this huge moving circle. Helping the little ones get to where they're going and stunned at the truth that they'll get there no matter what.

11 comments:

Caitlin Rose said...

I love you. You are so poetic. You seriously have some major writing skills sarie. I love it!!!

Dena said...

wow. just. wow.

Lindsey said...

You need to be the next great American author!! I'll tell ya.

kristen said...

Okay...so SERIOUSLY...when is your book coming out???? You still amaze me by your talent of writing...and your talent of photography. You are very talented, and I love your blogs so much! Georgeous pic of the girls also!!!

Jennifer said...

I love the picture!! I love how Lillie looks at little annoyed at the smooching. :)

I'm sure the children loved you!

LuCDay said...

I love Grace's hair. How do you keep it contained? I just cut Alex's again because the tangles were overwhelming and it was 6 inches shorter than Grace's before I cut it. So beautiful. :o)

Anonymous said...

i've come to the conclusion that sometimes as mothers we're just along for the ride...and to help bandage the wounded after derailments.

Celeste said...

How fun to spend time in Grace's class and get to experience kindergarten a little bit with her. That is such a sweet picture of the girls.

Missy said...

Beautiful. I really love your blog Sarah.

I've felt that same way, and hope beyond hope that I don't get in the way of my girls "getting there."

(Do you get to take Lillie with you in the classroom?)

Lillie said...

Oh that photo is amazing. Three perfect girls.

Cluttered Brain said...

I love this picture! What kind of camera do you have anyway? You defintely have a way of capturing the beauty of it all.