This is a test.

A test to see how quickly I can write a post. Can I write it before our internet connection goes down? Probably not, since I seem to lose the connection every two minutes or so. I’m on the verge of using a lot of profanity, but my relatives read here—I must practice restraint.

Anyway. I have two weeks of stuff to report. I wrote nothing about Grace’s fabulous fifth birthday on August 7, a day when her Grammie-Bonnie came all the way from Indianapolis to see her. A day when we went out for Pizza at her dad’s least favorite place in the world—lucky him, he was in San Francisco. It was her second day of Kindergarten, and she was understandably tired. We still managed to have a great time. She received more presents than I can remember (and we didn’t even have a party for her). The best part of that day was watching her dance down the driveway towards school that morning. She waved her arms in the air and sang, “I’m five, I’m five, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Grammie-Bonnie spent the entire birthday weekend with us, and she was a tremendous help. We did a little shopping. We watched movies. We played, and we ate. It was my kind of good time. I did take a few pictures from the visit, and I’d love to post them. Not so easy with the incredibly crappy internet connection however. They will come soon, I hope.

Moving on. Next up came my mom’s surgery, which I’ve already written about. She continues to do well but is very bruised and swollen. Her voice sounds much improved since last weekend. I don’t know when her radiation treatment will begin, but I’m guessing early September.

Which bring us up to last weekend. On Sunday, I boarded a plane for Boston. All By Myself. No kids. No husband. Can you feel how much I’m smiling when I write those words? I went to see my friend Sarah (and her husband, Andy, Craig’s cousin) and to meet their new baby girl, Thayer. As a bonus I got to hang out with Thayer’s big brother, Murdoch, and see his grandparents, Bob & Talli, his Uncle Hugh, and cousin, Liam. Yep, vacation for me is seeing other people’s children. It’s true. I love the babies, especially when I can leave them behind. I can hold them and hug them and love them and even change diapers. But I don’t have to discipline them or worry for their future. It’s seriously awesome. Add to that Thayer and Murdoch’s mommy, Sarah, who in the last few years has become my confidante, and you know I had a really great time.

The other good thing about the visit: not once did my ovaries send messages to my brain like “don’t you want another one?” or “don’t you miss this?” Nope. I don’t. I have two children of my own, and though they are growing—no longer babies—I don’t need to travel that road again.

And now for today. This morning Julia went to school for the first time. We were prepared for tears. We expected them. And just to prove how unexpected parenting can be, Julia, my shy little person, said goodbye without a worry. Three hours later, when I returned to pick her up, she didn’t come running. She was engrossed in the classroom. When she finally came to the door (after being called four times by the teacher and me) she was happy to see me, but not overjoyed. She had a good time, she said. She wants to go again.

I have pictures of Julia’s first day too, but those will have to wait (damn internet connection).