We spent yesterday�s beautiful, warm spring weather flying our new kite on the baseball field near the river. It was perfect weather for it, although we�re still novices in the fine art of kite manipulation and control. While we successfully engineered (quite by accident) several spectacular runs of loops and jumps, we also managed to send the kite plummeting earthward at a rate of speed so alarming, that we were convinced the vibrations of the earth when it hit the ground might have been measurable on the Richter scale. Fortunately both the kite and the fliers thereof were unharmed.

After a return home for sustenance and rest, we headed to my brother- and sister-in-law�s to celebrate my niece�s sweet sixteen. The idea of K. driving a car makes me feel dreadfully old. K., however, seems in no particular hurry for her driver�s license. She is taking it slowly and is unconvinced of her own abilities, much to the aggravation of her younger sister who is desperate to have a sister to drive her around instead of her parents. Perhaps that's why K.'s dragging her feet about driving.

The birthday party served as a catalyst for AJ�s renewed interest in his own upcoming birthday. Never having attended an actual birthday party for kids, I�m at a bit of a loss for what to do and a little intimidated at the prospect of being responsible for entertaining a pack of preschoolers for a couple of hours, even though I know that little more than a couple rounds of �duck, duck, goose� and plenty of cake and ice cream would probably make them happy. The big concern, of course, is how to schedule around my work. Clearly the mom-going-back-to-work guilt is kicking in. AJ�s birthday falls on Easter weekend this year, so we can�t celebrate then. I start teaching Easter Monday and the following weekend I�m giving a paper at a conference in yet another Midwestern state. I�m hating that I have to make him wait, but I see no other choice. I�m sure he won�t care as much as I do. I�m very happy to be heading back to the classroom, but I�m also wondering how this is all going to work out. Will AJ be mad at me for being gone? Will my husband be able to handle the schedule (we�ve talked about part-time daycare, but he wants to watch AJ at home)? Will I be able to deal with a 4 hour commute two days a week? How many bedtimes will I miss?

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