Kane's graduating from high school next week. "Today's my last day, really... then exams." His eyes grew wide with excitement, but then he quickly averted them. As I nibbled on my Cabana Salad and he shoved an entire brisket taco in his mouth,we sat there with this reality. Kane's graduating from high school.He left the table, and in an attempt to keep the mood light, he pulled a picture off of the fridge.
We were perched atop a ladder, awaiting Mardi Gras trucks on St. Charles Ave. Both of our faces were rounder, softer. His teeth were tiny, his dimples large.
As he teasingly waved the picture in front of my face, he sang, "I'm graduating from high school, Mommy." "Stop! That's not funny!" We laughed for two seconds. Then, I spoke very calmly, very plainly to him while large tears plopped onto my blouse.
"Are you ready?"
"To be done with high school? Yes!"
"To start this next stage in your life...?"
He shrugged his shoulders, eyes averted again. 
This is not sadness. It's not joy.
It's transition.
It's hard.
Kane's graduating from high school.
I knew someday I'd say those words.
I just didn't realize...

It Just Won't Rain

What's at Stake for our Children

from Texas Can Do Better...www.txcandobetter.org

The current budget proposal in the Texas House (HB1) would:

•    Cut roughly $1,000 per pupil from annual state aid to school districts. The massive cuts contemplated in state aid for school districts amount to $9.8 billion less than needed to maintain current educational services.

•    Lead to potential layoffs of 100,000 school employees. The combined loss of public-sector and private-sector employment that resulting from such deep cuts in public education could exceed 240,000 jobs—enough to boost the state’s unemployment rate above 10 percent and stifle the state’s recovery from recession.

•    Wipe out state grants for pre-kindergarten for 64,000 schoolchildren

•    Eliminate programs that provided extra help for 650,000 students at risk of failing high-stakes state exams.

•    Lay off 400 Child Protective Service investigators and caseworkers, increasing caseloads by more than 25 percent in some cases, putting more children in harm’s way.

•    Include severe cuts in state Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid rates for health-care providers could leave half of all infants, preschoolers, and elementary-aged children in Texas—along with a significant portion of older children—with health insurance that no provider will accept.
•    Cut the state’s contribution to the Teacher Retirement System pension fund and cut in half the state’s share of health-care costs for TRS retirees.

Yet, there's a rainy day fund! It's one that can eventually be replenished by our oil and gas revenues.  Are you freakin' kidding me?!?!?!