The countdown begins.

Actually, that's a lie. The countdown began a few days ago for Iz. A week left until she starts school. We're all ready, supplies bought - the last of the shopping was done on Saturday, where we even managed to get the required kid-sized shoe box, which came with her new soccer cleats. It's hard to say which I wanted more by Saturday afternoon, the cleats or the box they came in.

So - a week left. One more school visit on Friday, and then she's on her own. I still have yet to find out what class the kids she knows from soccer are in. Knowing the way preperation has gone for school, they're not in her class. I'm almost scared to ask, because that's the one good thing that still could happen. Everything else seems to have kind of fallen in over the last week or so. Even so, I feel better that it's fallen in now, rather than just after she starts.

I think I'm more nervous than Iz is. She's excited, and has admitted to being "just a teeny tiny bit nervous" - the most nervous that my tough-girl will ever admit to being. What's keeping me calm is that I know she's going to a good school - a stable place with caring staff. Also, I klnow she's ready. she's been ready for a year now, so she's enthusiastic and ready to learn. She's ready to be in a class full of kids her age, and ready to learn to deal with friends in a neutral environment.

But am I ready? Am I ready for her to come home asking to watch shows that she's not allowed to watch "because all the other kids watch it"? Am I ready for the Easter bunny and Santa myth to be well and truly busted by another kid (for the record, I'm not entirely sure she believes anyway - it's more of a fun game for our family, but we've never come out and talked about it, which we probably should have)? Am I ready for my child to come home crying because another kid (who I don't even know) was mean to her?

Not sure yet.