5 years old

Our daughter is now 5 years old (not today, tomorrow). We had a celebration at school. Milagros was shy and, sort of, clinged to me the whole time. She didn't want to do the traditional ceremony that Montessori children do at school. She had a little trouble even tolerating when people, her classmates and friends, were singing happy birthday in three different languages, English, Spanish and Italian. I enjoyed it. She enjoyed in her own way. Afterwards, she couldn't wait to go home. Later on, we went to the grocery store to get cough drops and salad stuff for tomorrow. I was delighted, the whole time we were there she was acting so mature. She was wanting to be so helpful. Helping with the bags. Helping with his brother. I was pleasantly surprised. Not that she is, what is called, a difficult child but normally she gets what she wants, waits for me, walks in front, gets to the car first, asks to be seated first....etc. Not today. Today, it was almost like someone turned on a switch and she was different. Happy Birthday, Milagros!

The Chinese Year

That is what I meant when I said I was going to start blogging regularly in the new year. The Chinese year. Hmmmm...not really but suddenly last week I realized that I had continued to read my regular blogs and search for other interesting blogs and again I had, sort of, forgotten my own blog. So, here I ago. I re-committ to start again with weekly posts. And, more real posts about my real life.
So, about two weeks ago I got emails inviting and warning me. The messages said that I was invited to the 25th high school reunion while another message was warning me that I was receing that second message because I hadn't responded to the first one. Except, I got the messages back to back. Not like I was ignoring it. And, I sent a message back saying so. But, all the while I kept thinking that the second message was right I was probably ignoring the issue in the first place. I am such a different person now that I feel like 25 years are a lifetime, which they are, I know but still. I know that I would not go to any dance of evening get together so maybe the second message was right. Right? But, actually part of me (a small part) would like to go and see these people. There are some of them that I don't remember too well but there are some that I remember better and I even fantasize that we become friends again. Although I must admit that they (I?) live in another world even though we are not physically distant a river (literally) runs through it because the border between the US and Mexico is separated by the Rio Bravo also known at the Rio Grande on this side of the border.