Sister cry, count the stars.

Is many in the sky that passed you by.

Could be up ahead you'll be seeing changes.

Jayhawks -- "Sister Cry"

Last Thursday was Katie Cat's turn to have her first day of preschool. She was very teary because it was her first time going to Belle Croft without India there to comfort her. Kate is a tentative soul and really relies on India for support, so going alone was a big step. There were lots of tears/whining/ pleading on the drive to school, and let's just say Kate rivaled G.I. Joe with the kung-fu grip as we approached the door. My goddaughter Anne, who is a year older, has been tapped to be a surrogate big sis for Kate and she was one of the first faces we saw as we walked in the door. There were also lots of other friends greeting her with smiles and hugs. Girls start the squealing and hugging very early, don't they?

The preschool Welcome Wagon helped quite a bit, but I still needed to pry Kate off my leg so I could go. I hate, hate, hate leaving the Short People when they are crying. I know the teachers just want Moms to get the hell out so the child will stop crying , but I always feel like a terrible parent carelessly abandoning my child when they need me most.

Thankfully, today was a bit smoother. And I am finding the free time so helpful. I was able to host a meeting for a Hospice fundraiser I am co chairing and am also getting some errands accomplished sans shrieking, begging, arguing or rushing to every public restroom on the Eastern Shore before someone has an accident (no, I don't mean me). There is one store that it never fails...someone has to go EVERY TIME we enter. It has become a joke with the store owner, who graciously opens her restroom to us.

While Kate can be timid and a bit grumpy, she never fails to crack me up. We ran into my friend Louise and we spoke to each other. Louise is from Tasmania and has an Australian-sounding accent that I adore. As we walked away, Kate asked "Who was dat?" I answered that it was Ms. Louise, and Kate replied "Oh, the lady who says 'haloo'!