registration and a party

 This kids were home today with James, Little Jay, and Kari in charge while Maria and I drove out to Wisconsin to register for her classes at the university for the fall.

It was a gorgeous day on the college campus, and I wished I had my camera along, but did not.

When Maria asked if I was going along to this event I asked her if she needed me there, or wanted me for some reason?

"Well, yeah.  The last thing I went to, I was the only kid without a parent there."

Okay.

Little Jay and Kirsten went on their own because, sad as this may be to admit, the presentations don't change.  First there's a group welcome hour, and then the parents and kids go in separate directions, and the parent seminars, whee.  I've heard it before:  "How to create a culture of learning," and "Freshman year, what to expect,"  "What to bring to college."   A person can feel quite superfluous and time-frittering.

But after they took the freshman away, instead of sitting in the auditorium, I walked downtown to the second hand stores instead.  It was a long meandering walk in hot sunshine and what a beautiful day.

Maria is registered and has a great schedule and it was very fun.

These people had fun today too.  Tim said James did a good job watching them.  "He didn't say anything to us."

Then when we got home, it was time for the birthday party.   I raced to fetch the Chinese food. Heidi picked up ice cream at the drug store.   Jay found the coolers of leftover pop and beer from the graduation last week and threw in ice.

This is a sad and scary story:  m.c. cut her foot very severely on some sharp rocks in an overgrown area where she was hiking along with some friends, where they probably shouldn't have been.   Surgery was required--crutches for weeks.   Her dance recital is this weekend, and guess who won't be dancing.

She's a good sport, but it's been a long week for all of them.

My sweetie wanted to help frost the cake and so did his big brother.  We got it done.

b.g. is so crazy for cake and some point it was all he could think about, and then when he had his piece, he sat at the table, just giddy laughing.   He's easy to please.

And at the end of the evening, it felt good to fold up little white paper boxes and carry them to the office fridge, and do the dishes and fold the clothes from the dryers.

Days like this don't come any finer.   Little Jay is also a student at the school where Maria registered, and he's coming into his senior year and a bit over the whole thing, and taking summer classes besides and also working.   But when I mentioned how gorgeous the campus was today, he even softened up, "Yeah, it really is."

So Maria is launched into a good place, and m.c. is all right, and John and Danell made it through this week.  When I picked up the giant box Chinese food--so big the man carried to the car for me-- I thanked them and told them it was our son's birthday and THEY had done the cooking for us all and thank you very, very much.

They were cute, "Oh, we were delighted to do so."

Oh, my.

Onward.

John, once again, Happy Birthday and thanks for being ours.   We could not love you more, Mom and Dad and everybody