In Case There Is Any Doubt...

...that I have always been a very melancholic person......

I wish I could ask my mother what she was thinking when she dressed me like that. On picture day, no less! And did they not have a day scheduled for retakes?

As you can see, very early in my life, the seed was planted for educating my children at home.

I did not like kindergarten one bit. I couldn't understand why I had to leave my brothers and sister to go talk about colors and shapes with a bunch of strangers. I wanted to be home where all the action was. It didn't help that I, very shy and mousey, was completely intimidated by my teacher. Mrs. Brown had taught my father, which meant that she was not exactly a sweet young spring chick. The year after I was in her class, she consistently called my brother by my father's name. Come on, Lady, that was twenty-nine years ago. Get over him. I wonder if she is still teaching at Lloyd Elementary.

Alas, my mother knew nothing about home education, and I honestly don't think she would have chosen it if she had. Little by little, I surrendered to the inevitability of my doom. By first grade, I actually liked school. Of course, it helped to be taught by Miss Aulissio, who was a sweet young spring chick. Not to mention that I was earning stars on the chart left and right for perfect worksheets, gaining me blissful privileges like passing out the papers and erasing the blackboard.

Or maybe it was just my new haircut that made me happy. I can't remember.

And yes, I know, that I should not be breaking my blogging fast...again...but this one is for my blessedly sanguinesque daughter, Elena, who just hates it when I get all serious on this blog. When I asked her what she thought of my post about the car accident, she wrinkled her nose and said, "Sort of dark and morbid, but I suppose it is Lent."

Happy Valentine's Day to all of my dear friends! You are loved.