"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." ~Harriet VanHorne

You always loved to help me in the kitchen.  You always loved to help me, period.  But you especially loved to sit on the counter next to whatever I was making so that you could have an easier time accessing the ingredients.  You loved to put them in and stir.  YOU LOVED TO STIR!  You loved to eat half of whatever we were making even if it wasn't cooked!  You would stick your fingers into whatever you could find and lick!  You often wore aprons, but on this particular day, you must have "progot"!  Auntie Emily was coming for dinner that night.  The three of us ate together.  We had honey garlic chicken, dill potatoes (especially made by you) and steamed broccoli.  The food was DELISH!  You were a wonderful helper that day and everyday.

"My little baby's all grown up ... and savin' China" - Mushu (Mulan)

     Since I've known you, you've wanted to grow up and be a preschool teacher.  Today was your first day of work.  You became an employee of the Kinder Garden and Preschool Center in Brooklyn, down the street from our house.  You were only 14 years old.  You were so proud!  We were so proud!  You started your day at 8:30, with a packed lunch and extra clothes in case it got too hot.  I walked both you and Mac there.  We dropped Mac off at her room and I brought you to yours with the intention to stay with you for the first day.  I thought I would plug your daily tasks into your iPod, including times of the day paired with tasks that needed to be accomplished so that you would know what to do if the head teacher didn't tell you.  However,  by lunch you were tired of having me around and asked me to leave; so I left.  Besides,  the daycare staff seem to be pretty on the ball there and you transitioned beautifully from task to task.  You were so nurturing to all the children and still directive.  So directive infact, I started to call you "Miss Bossy Pants".  You thought it was pretty funny and so did the teachers!  They just loved having you there...and you loved being there.