P.S. I am typing be-bopping to my music being played on my "new" MP3 player. My sister acquired a free iPod with her laptop purchase, so I acquired her MP3 player. Now I need new head phones. These old ones make my ears hurt.

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Have you ever felt that you are playing house? I have.

And Gary and I have a house? How could we have a daughter and a son? We are too young. It doesn't seem like I could possibly be responsible for such things. I'm fresh out of college. (Yeah right about the college thing.)

But there it is, my house. With my children running around in the yard playing.

Lately I've thought on the word mommy. Over time it metamorphoses. It starts as ma ma, sometimes ma ma ma ma ma ma. Then becomes mommy. The next change is to mom. Sometimes mo-om, said with an impatient tone.

And with each new form of my name, I see my children grow and become more an individual. And if I keep thinking about it, as they grow up they also take tiny little steps away from me.

Ellie started preschool this week. She's there three days a week. My mind wanders to next year, kindergarten. She'll be gone every day. Then first grade will be every day, all day. I'm losing my little girl, what horrors will find her out in the world. Then I mentally slap myself and say she's here at home right in front of you, knock it off.

But really, I do wonder about her future, how I can keep her safe. What parent doesn't? But all I can do is pray and leave her in the loving hands of God.