COBRA and Kindergarten

COBRA is a joke. Seriously. Let's see, I can maintain my current insurance for...over $1000 a month. Getting that outsourced piece of info from my former employer was truly the final insult. But as Michael Stipe sings at the end of the song "Falls to Climb":

"Who cast the final stone?
Who dealt the crushing blow?
Someone has to take the fall,
Why not me? Why not me?

Had consequence chose differently,
Had fate its ugly head,
My actions make me beautiful,
And dignify the flesh,
Me...I am free...I AM FREE."


Truly I am free. Hallelujah!

But, little time these days to think of such things. Faith starts 2nd grade tomorrow. My life situation has taken me away from this part of my life. I have not been there for her and she is clearly nervous. Like her father, she finds the academics easy as pie, but her attempts at being social tend to end up more 'pie-in-the-face'. God bless her, my heart goes out to her. She's a wonderful kid (with some annoying habits) who in some ways has already done better socially than me...but at the same time, I think the social world is tougher now than it was when I was a kid. I hope and pray that she continues to have a group of friends that makes her happy, and that she doesn't overdo her affections and is willing to share her friends.

And Mari starts Kindergarten on Thursday. She says she's not nervous, but I think she is more than she lets on. Mari in a lot of ways has stalled out socially. She still has a lot of trouble controlling her emotions and reactions...wonder where she got THAT from? She's a stinking roller-coaster though...she'll also be the kindest, best friend to someone who needs it.

There is little doubt that the life situation we've been under has affected our family adversely. How could it not? Every spare moment has been spent setting things up for now. We have not been there for our kids and have had our summer robbed from us. There have been no 'good thoughts' for any of us. We know that a lot of people have had it worse, and we thank God for what we have. But it's taking an emotional toll. School coming and the return of some sort of routine will be a light in the darkness I hope...and we will all slowly pull ourselves out of this morass and gather strength for another summer of strife.

Let's do this, people.

Matt