Does this kindergartener make me look old?

Well, Becca woke up excited this morning. She is starting her first day of Kindergarten. So Trina had to get up way too early, we got the kids dressed and ready, Cassidy came over waaaaaay to early (the knock on the door was 5:40 am) and they were out of the door at 7:30 am. I got to hang out at home until around 8:20 before leaving to go to work.
I haven't heard from Becca how she liked her first day at school though. I talked to Trina twice today on the phone, once from her not being very happy that I left the dog inside and that she had to clean up after her and the other to make sure where Carrie needed to pick up Cassidy. Neither occasion gave room for me to talk to my eldest daughter to hear what she thought of her first day of a journey that takes too long for someone so young but something I would do over again if I could edit out some of the rough spots. I'm sure she was very friendly and very assertive, even with Trina there with an opening day parent meeting. (That's why the kids were all up at 7:30 to go be dropped off at a friend's house.) She told me she was shy and I kinda snickered. I've never seen her shy. Maybe scared of new situations but never shy around new people. She is the extrovert that Trina and I aren't.
I hope Becca doesn't have to learn some of the lessons I had to -- that being mean isn't cool (I have always wanted to apologize to some of the kids I made fun of when I was young -- Jean Audette and Mark Grabazsweski) that other kids are mean sometimes, that being cruel isn't a good way to fit in, that behaving strange or odd is a good way to get attention. I hope she doesn't have to learn these the hard way. I do hope she learns to be compassionate, to learn how to learn, to be friendly even when no one else is, to be willing to stand up as an individual even against popular belief for what she believes, and how to distinguish between the truth and the lies. She is a smart kid but has never been in an organized learning environment (like I was in Kindergarten... I hope I turned out ok.) She seems, to me, a biased parent, to be the poster child of a kid who is well learned already because her parents invested in her (mainly Trina) and that preschool is not the universal solution to a problem they could not possibly try to solve.
I hope she had a good day. They say in Baseball you can tell how the season's going to go by the first at-bat (watch Major League.) I wonder if the same is true in Kindergarten.

Verse:

Philippians 1:9-11

9 I pray that your love will grow more and more. And let it be based on knowledge and understanding. 10 Then you will be able to know what is best. You will be pure and without blame until the day Christ returns. 11 You will be filled with the fruit of right living produced by Jesus Christ. All of those things bring glory and praise to God.

Does this 5 year old make me look old?

Well, with 4 kids, it is inevitable for them to grow up (unless you throw them into some cryogenic freeze machine, but then they will come back and zap you with their newly acquired freeze powers which emanate from their fingertips in an evolutionary desire for survival.) And with that, there are milestones which make me, as a parent, look and say, "Has it really been that long?"
Becca turned 5 on Wednesday. She was so excited. I now ask her, 'Who's my 5 year old?' Of course, half the time she complains that Micah is still older (as he always will be, I explain.) She wants to grow up so fast and I still consider her my baby (again, something she has refused for the past 2 years.) (Just like real life, I use a lot of parenthesis in my listening to boring lectures, sometimes sermons, watching bad tv shows, etc. Too many smart comments like a dummy.)
Well, if you are a reader of Trina's blogs, you will know that we are pretty broke right now. This always bums me around birthday time (July-October in this family -- except Trina, the odd-ball (I love you.)) One of the things I was thinking about for Becca's birthday was taking the family out to see Wall-E at the El Capitan, but that won't be happening. In fact, not much will be happening. We had some family over on Sunday to celebrate. Dad made a cake, Trina and Dianne made cupcakes for Extended Session at church earlier. Becca was ecstatic that she got 5 Barbies (3 big, 2 small, 1 elephant.) I wish I could have done more though.
Of course, looking back on my childhood, the highlight of my life was my sixth birthday. My dad and I went for a walk to the mall and I got a radio and cassette deck for my birthday. I was so happy. Then we got back home and a bunch of people from the baseball park (It must have been my 7th birthday... I started playing baseball at 6) and church (I always thought it was 6th... could my mind be playing tricks on me?) were at our house and we had a baseball ice cream cake. But it was simple. I didn't get a lot, but it was a celebration. I learned that it wasn't about stuff, it was about recognition and celebration and getting together. Maybe us being broke and me not being able to spoil my children rotten is a good thing as they will grow up not being materialistic but will take joy in the little things.

I like Trina's gimmick. On substantial post, I'll probably find the verse that sums up the post.

11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:11-13