T-Man entered our school when he was in the fifth grade and that's when he met this friend. They've celebrated birthdays, eighth grade graduation, participated in the zoo program, traded books, and attended tennis classes to name a few of the many things they have enjoyed as friends. His friend has even graciously contacted us first to sell his hand me down game systems (for a good price).
So here's the gist of my story. As my children have grown, I still see them as my children. Little kids really. It's hard to gage on a day to day basis the changes in their features, physique, and mental maturity. Of course you continue to buy bigger clothes, bigger shoes, and more food. But notice the changes? Not so much. Sometimes you can't keep them in pants and shoes that fit. Later you realize you haven't bought them a pair of dress shoes or jeans in a year (boys).
Of course the day they need a razor, start their period, get their driver's license, rescue you when your car dies, don't go to school with you because they started their first day of high school or college; then you notice, at least for a few days. Yet they are still your kids, your babies. Their long time friends tend to fall in this category as well. And for me their friends and family members from other states fall into a time warp. I imagine them as the little kids they were when we last spent time with them. Even though my kids have grown and changed those kids are forever in my mind as these little preschoolers; at least until Doug shows me an article in the online paper where they've signed a golf scholarship, baseball scholarship, etc.
How does the circus fit into the the aging of my children and their friends? Keep on reading... It was just another circus Wednesday in November. Mimi had rushed in after school popped popcorn and headed off to circus practice with her bag. T-Man and his friend stopped by my room after school on their way to the gym for circus leaving their backpacks in my room and grabbed waters from my refrigerator as they head to the gym. I had an hour of peace, quiet, the Internet, and a classroom to myself. After an hour and no kids I began to get restless and wondered how long it would be till they finished up.
As I wandered down the hall to gym so I could get an idea of how much longer they kids would be, I ran into T-Man's friend. He says to me "Hey, did T-Man ask you about your hang tag (my parking tag for the school's 90 minutes parking spots)?" I said, "No." And I'm thinking why would T-Man ask me about my hang tag.
Friend says, "Well we usually walk from our school here but now it's getting cold and I drove T-Man over and we had to park at the parking meter spaces. If we had your hang tag we could park in the school lot and not get cold walking over."
I was stunned by this request. I couldn't answer this kid for a full minute. I know I had that deer in the headlights look after he asked me for my hang tag on Wednesdays.
As I'm standing there in shock he begins to rapidly explain that since he drives himself to high school he would have to walk back to the high school lot after circus practice in the COLD or I would feel the need to drive him over to the high school Junior lot. This way he (and T-Man) would stay out of the harsh elements and save me driving time as well.
I recover and I cry out, "You're killing me here!! What happened to my babies? Weren't you just a fifth grader yesterday??? Does you mom know you're driving?!"
He laughs and says, "If you give T-man your hang tag on Wednesday mornings then I'll give it back to him on Thursday mornings."
I just shake my head and say sure. I can't have my babies getting cold.
Here are the boys as they headed off Dec. 26th for 10 days in Costa Rica.
Anyway they are great kids and are growing up whether I'm ready or not.
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