Yeah, you could say I worry a little

So this is my boy. If you were in third grade, you totally would want to be his friend, right? He's so cute and really nice, too. Since the school year has begun, Ben making friends has been a bit of an obsession for me. Over the summer, I was able to mostly suppress my angst about the transition Ben soon would face. But as soon as Sept. 1 hit, my worry was back in full force.

Here's my thinking: I was confident Ben would be fine with the academics of third grade, so if I could just ensure that he made a friend or two in his new class, things would be golden and I could move on to finding my next thing to worry about. The first days of school didn't seem to be going so well. Ben would come home from school grouchy as all get out. When I would ask him what he did at recess, he would say, "Nothing, just walked around." Every day after school, I would pepper him with the same litany of questions: "Did you play with anyone at recess"? "Who did you sit with at lunch"? I wouldn't have blamed him if he had finally snapped at me: "Mom, would you shut up with that already!"

Now, I don't feel like Ben needs a whole passel of friends. My expectations are realistic - God knows, I was never popular in school. Even one good friend would be enough to satisfy me. Just as I was beginning to fear that Ben would be condemned to a life of solitude at school, of forever wandering the playground alone, things began to change. On Wednesday, he got a call from a classmate, Brodie. On Thursday and Friday, he talked on the phone with his friend, Gabby. Yesterday, for more than an hour, he and Gabby played Webkinz while chatting on the phone. I'm sure some day soon, I'll be harping on Ben to get off the phone already. But when I do, I'll do it with a secret smile.

Celebrating 10

Mark and I were but 23 when we tied the knot 10 years ago. Like my uncle, who called me "the child bride," you might be tempted to comment on young we were, especially for today's standards. However, if you know Mark, you probably also know why I was able to marry him with the utmost confidence. A more decent, kind, loving mate I could not have found, and I feel so lucky that we found each other.

Of course, hitting this milestone has gotten me reflecting. We sure have managed to cram a lot into 10 years. We've celebrated the greatest joys, three to be exact. We've gone through some hard times and heartache, too, and I've come to the conclusion that all marrieds reach eventually - that marriage is hard work. I can say with certainty, though, that there's no one I'd rather take this journey with. Mark is such a good man, that it makes me want to work at our relationship all the harder. He makes it all worth it.

I've never been big on poetry, but in one of my high school English classes, we read this poem that I did love. (Well, I fell in love with it after my teacher decoded it for us - like I said, I'm no poet.) It's called Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town by E.E. Cummings. I gave Mark a copy on our wedding day.

So here it is:

anyone lived in a pretty how town 
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn't he danced his did

Women and men (both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn't they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed (but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone's any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon 
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes

Women and men (both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain  

After 10 years, I still love Mark "more by more" and his any will always be all 
to me.