An anniversary, a "new" computer, and a graduation

I've been a married woman for nine years. Well, actually, I've probably been a married woman for about 7 years. I'm not sure the word "woman" completely applies to a 22-year-old girl, which is what I was when I got married. I didn't clean (I mean, like anything. Not like now, where I just don't clean everything - does that make sense?). Cooking was hamburger helper. Our furniture was part-cardboard from Target.

I think actual adulthood came gradually down the road, later, when I began to experience the pain and uncertainty of trying to get pregnant, the responsibility of home ownership, the sentimental journey of watching baby brothers get married, the heartache of being hurt by people who were supposed to love you, and the hard work of trying to forgive those people when you don't have it in you at all.

I guess if I'm going to look at it that way, I still have some growing up to do.

I married my man when we were but babies, and I'm loving growing up with him.

**********

My "other" baby is my macbook. Oh, how I love it. It's not a baby anymore though - it's a senior citizen in computer years. And, you know how IT guys are most of the time not that helpful? You know how they just tell you to reboot? You know how they like to sit in the dark and invent new ways to confuse you?

Not our IT guys. We have two where we work. They're great, and helpful. One of them is less an IT guy, and more of my senior citizen macbook's fountain of youth.

He gave it a new hard drive, and an upgraded operating system, and just like that, my macbook is a baby again, running like new. Maybe someday we'll have a nine year anniversary together?

**********

My first baby graduated from pre-school yesterday. Everyone was all "oooh!" and "ahhhh!", and I was all, "It's kind of lame. I mean he's going to pre-K next year, and I'm sure they'll do a graduation, and then there's Kindergarten graduation. And then he'll have had three graduations and he'll still be 6."

But, it wasn't lame. It was adorable. His amazing teachers spent countless hours putting together scrapbooks for each kid, and a slideshow, and it's a real tear-jerker to reflect on how much your baby boy has grown up in 9 months.

Today, though, was the end-of-year picnic. I'm going to be honest - I usually hate picnics. It's either rainy or 100 degrees. Today's picnic was of the HOT variety. Just me and three kids, and buckets of sweat, (surprisingly delicious) hot dogs, and a bouncy house.

Of course, the only kid I have who WANTS to get in a bouncy house is my little girl. The teacher told me I would have to get in with her. I tried to explain that I was more likely to get hurt in that thing than Taly. I didn't try to explain that those things make me pee my pants. I just found someone to hold my baby while I scrambled into an inflatable oven with a bunch of kids and bounced my heart out.

After that, it was hard to contain my misery. I tried to psych Simon up for going home, but he was having none of it, so we (I) suffered. I kept looking at all the other parents, trying to identify someone who would stand in the shade with me and complain, but everyone else looked so happy. I was confused and lonely - maybe I just smelled and people were trying to stay away.  Or, there's a small chance I have an attitude problem, but I doubt it.

*********
All in all, it's been a week of celebration. Next week, we pick it back up again with birthday celebrations for two of my kids, and I plan to eat a lot of cake. (Thanks for all the help with girl-party suggestions!)