Day 3 of Lent

Veronica is home sick and so I don't have much time but today is Day 3 of Lent, aka the first meatless Friday, aka, the third day where I talk about What's So Great About my kids and today is Maria's turn.  These are in no particular order, I am just starting with who is the least recently updated.

Anyway, here's What's So Great About Maria!

• I've said this but she is doing really well at school.  She has friends and she's doing well academically and she plays Chess and she is in the school play.  I am looking forward to her starting some athletics, they don't start until like third or fourth grade, which I like but won't it be fun if she plays kickball or something?  We don't play organized kickball in NJ, so it was a big surprise to me when I moved here and they have it as a regular sport.  I even know adults that play on leagues!  Anyway, she is a good and model student, so far, she seems to be having fun and doing well and I'll take it.  
• As I said, she is making her St. Joan of Arc Debut tonight!  She's one of the orphans in the Hard Knock Life chorus, which is all the first graders do.  She has done it for us a few times and it's super cute.  I can't wait to see it.  Yesterday they ran the whole show for the school and she was so funny about it.  She said, "Camille (her bff) was really nice about it, she made two thumbs up and hugged me.  But then some of the boys hugged me too!  Devon, and La Don and Henry ALL made two thumbs up and all hugged me and said 'good job'".  
• She can be quiet!  Last week she was invited to a friend's birthday party for Sunday afternoon from 3-5.  I was working at 5:00 and Mike wasn't too keen on picking her up with all the other kids in tow so I asked our neighbor if we could carpool.  Her son is in Maria's class and they live on our street.  She said yes so I went and picked up Luke and he and Maria and I drove to the party, about 15 minutes away.  And NOBODY said a word!  Ha, these kids go to school together every day, he was in her kindergarten class and is in her first grade class and she spoke not a SYLLABLE, I have never seen her that quiet.  It was interesting.  
• She's pretty flexible.  Yesterday I asked my friend Marta to pick her up because I didn't want to take sick Veronica out in the 5 degree temperatures and she said sure, so I emailed the school and asked to give Maria the message that she would be meeting Marta and she just - went, played at Marta's, played church, did her homework, and I picked her up after Mike got home with Anthony.  She makes my life easier and I am super grateful.  I knew it would happen, someday, ha!