Her Junior Year

My friend Angela has sorted me out with all the American names for grades in high school and university - High School Musical has helped as well. I smile when Angela says things like "Oh, she's a junior" - the adjective now is a noun.

Well, Julia is now too, a junior of sorts. Julia started Gr. 4/4th Grade for my American friends -- a new year for lots of adventures and challenges already:

1. comes home on school bus


2. sometimes goes to school on school bus


3. first time in split - 4/5


4. now in portapack


5. tall male teacher


6. now can join school teams


7. made school cross-country team


8. came 2nd in Newmarket schools x-country meet


9. came 13th in Board area x-country meet


10. studies French everyday; dictees once a week

Good times, good times. We are in a good place right now.

I have seen a great change in Julia since she turned 9 and a half -- a sense of humour that cracks me up, ever-growing long legs (90th percentile for height the doctor told us this week), more interest in fashion and shopping, the request for side bangs, the primping in front of the mirror, the first signs of puberty (heavy sigh). She's embraced them all and so have I. Sorta.

But I know I'm ever more thankful, as the changes come fast and the moments to hold on to Julia sometimes seem fleeting. A mom in the US has made me ever so much more mindful of this.

I'm following the blog she writes http://aninchofgray.blogspot.com/.

She lost her son a month ago in a horrible drowning accident after Hurricane Irene made her way through their community. One day there were lovely first-day-of-school photos of her two children and then next day a blog detailing the eulogy at her son's funeral.

I don't know how she copes. My chest tightens when I think of her, of the son, Jack she lost. Sometimes I smile, sometimes I sob as I read her entries. But everyday I look to see if she's posted. I'm inspired and awed by how she's coping and not coping. And I feel ever so thankful for what I have.

Things here are good. I know I'm blessed. Looking forward to a great junior year.