Hey babies. My my what a few (several) weeks it’s been. You moved from your home state. You’ve both been sick. You’ve both been happy. You’ve both spent lots more time outside in our pool, at the beach, chasing frogs, playing in your water table, riding bikes/scooters with neighbors and learning the ropes in this new place. New kids, new topics of conversation, new norms to navigate. 

You are both seriously champs, I just want you to know that. You’ve taken the changes in stride and I have to say babies, I don’t know how this whole deal’s gonna turn out, but I really think it’s going to be one of the best things we’ve ever done for you. It’s a turning point in your road. 

So there’s this documentary we just watched at work (Corridor of Shame) about how just terrible and awful the education situation is here in SC. I have lots of thoughts on this… first, it’s absolutely a human right that kids have a safe place to learn, food in their bellies and don’t have to worry about being cold, wet or exposed to sewage. Or have a roof collapse on their classroom. I hope that if I do nothing else as your mama, you KNOW THIS to be true.

Second, I am equal parts worried about your educations and really excited that you get to see your mama doing the work she was put on the planet to do. Equity and access to education, impacting kids’ rights and just generally making the world a better place are things that I know in my gut are IT. So, I hope that you are proud. I also need to figure out a way to get you through this wild and wacky system of education here. 

I also just need to say that I am concerned about a few things. 1- guns. They’re here and they’re prevalent and in homes and concealed and I sort of don’t ever want you to go on playdates until I’ve checked every home with a metal detector. That might seriously impact your social lives, but I am only 5% kidding. 2- race. Big One, you used the term “black” for the first time ever to describe someone. And it’s ok, you’re making sense of your world, but it certainly wasn’t me who pointed out that difference and it broke my heart a little. But also gives us space to talk and I hope, forever, that you keep talking, asking and working through it with me. With us. It’s the best we can hope for really. 

3- (last thing) I am worried and fascinated that you’ll grow up to be Southern boys. I never, ever would have thought this in a thousand years, but here we are. I guess I need to get ok with surprises and just going with it. The very best things in my (our) life have come from a place of not knowing, but leaping off a cliff and believing in the existence of the parachute below. 

xo Mama