Dana Burland

They're 5 and 3. The May after dinner sunlight makes the backyard glow. In its sunny flames is an awkwardly parked go kart (that really does bupkis on grass, but whatever), a soccer net, some rogue Legos. A yard away is a rake, foam swords, the neighbor's play structure.  This is the season, the first two weekends in a row. The boys have found Their Tribe. Neighbor boys come to the door asking to play, and off they all go. This game into that, into that, into what are you doing now? There's a monster chase game, talk of Pokemon cards, a scream I check on and make sure is all in good fun.  I'm partially fanning the friend flames, partially staying the heck out of the way. I'm thrilled for them.  Childhood magic is happening in front of me. 

I’m up early watching King Charles III’s Coronation, which reminds me I never told you of my new crowning, title, honor, stature–as assistant coach of the 7 & under Grizzly Bear youth soccer team. Assistant Queen to The Queen, if you will. I’m second in line behind an ahhh-mazing head coach, fellow mom of a Grizzly Bear player, who truly knows her soccer stuff. Which is great, because beyond put-that-ball-in-the-net, no-hands, I know nuthin’. It’s an absolute joy to watch C play soccer, on the field as a coaching participant or on the sidelines watching. He LOVES soccer. LOOOVVVES it. He’s great at it, too. The biggest thing I do as an assistant is hang with the kids who currently aren’t playing at the moment (the bench) on the “Team Blanket”. The things I see and hear from 5 year olds on that team blanket…. Anytime C is sitting out, he’s itching to get back in, talking about what he’s going to work on when he’s in and playing again. I’m also in charge of the “weekly themes”, t...

Ok, I just thought of this today, not sure why... but it's a funny story. For C's 5th birthday party this past July we hired a magician to come to the house and put on a show for all his friends.  It was great. So many kids, parents, a summer day that was suppose to get rained out but thankfully didn't, way too many people in our big yard and cruising through our tiny house. C was feeling the love. And the magician, he was into it. He informed me ahead of time he has a particular routine, professional and skilled act for pre-Kindergarteners. He was taking it v seriously, but also overall great. It takes a special kind of person to be a kid's birthday party magician. They're cut from the same cloth of driver's ed instructors and middle school health teachers. You just... have to be a little unique.  Pre-party he arrived well ahead of time, got himself set up, all was fine. I did notice he pulled up in a pretty janky car held together in some homemade fashion. Ho...