I love my life right now. It's like a few layers got pulled back and instead of living as an empty nester, looking for opportunities to take care of others outside of work, I'm suddenly right back in the middle of younger family life. I already mourned this stage, never thought I'd have it back, but shows what I know, or don't. Here I am in the middle of it again and though making school lunches is tedious and there are evenings I'm really ready for some down time, I love this chance to be part of an active younger family again. Saturday night Bob and KK and I went to the symphony and (thanks to shared tickets from Jean and Mark) were able to take our friend Annalyn. It was exciting to share the music, and interesting to me that KK loves that music and has been to enough symphonies now that I see her as a co-sharer, rather than someone Bob and I share the music with.

Sunday was unexpectedly rich and busy. Ruth and Liam have just started a monthly Jewish kids' craft program called "Training Wheels". Each session focuses on a holiday I think, and the one we attended was about upcoming Sukkot. We made a graham cracker Sukkot with marshmallow creme for glue and fruit loops on top (with surprising insight,Liam called the sweet cereal "sugar" and he got at least as many on the Sukkot as into his mouth), puppet guests to visit us in our Sukkot, a celebratory flag, and a very glittery blue and silver compact disk which makes a beautiful Sukkot decoration. I think it's exciting that this program exists, and I so enjoyed loved helping and watching Ruth help Liam. His concentration, instruction following, and attention to detail were super, especially for his age.

Sunday afternoon was "Come Dance Day" with free classes all afternoon at Ballet Austin. KK invited me and her friend Reba from school to join her and it was both marvelous and humbling. Zumba, an exercise dance class to international rhythms is about my speed - steps not too precise but plenty of chance to burn calories and experience the abandon and joy of really letting go to upbeat music. I want to go to Zumba with KK every Saturday morning - a real treat. But the theatre dace classes, taught by KK's mentors Danny and Rocker were HARD - I seemed to be constantly going in the wrong direction on the wrong foot a step behind the music - and then I'd look up and see KK and her dance friend Abby just hitting every move and doing it with style. It was good for me to remember how hard what she does every day is. I like Reba a lot, a girl who was game in the hard classes despite lack of dance training, can laugh at herself, and has a great sense of rhythm she uses in her own art as a guitarist and singer. What a lovely afternoon!

I still feel a little flooded by all the details and schedules of our active family, but I think it's beginning to fall into place better - especially KK's homework and dance schedule patterns. She is amazing to me in that she is up and ready for school every morning - no muss, no fuss, no reminding. I was never that easy to get moving as a school kid.