thoughts of back to school

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

It's still hard to believe that my daughter Cyn Cyn will be starting middle school on Monday. Carla's daughter Brooke will be starting kindergarten on Wednesday. As her nieces embark on scholastic milestones, it's reassuring to know that their Tita Cindy is watching over them and helping them along from above.

Cyn Cyn attended her middle school orientation this past Monday. I was unable to attend due to work, so Andrew accompanied her. While at work, I was anxious to know how things were going at orientation.

My anxiety was gradually eased thanks to little signs that I know Cindy was sending me. I work as a community college counselor, and noticed tiny details about the students I was meeting with that had a connection to our family.

These little signs included a student whose previous address was on Cynthia Street; there was another student who had transcripts from Santa Clara University (where Carla attended law school and where her husband Mike currently works, and where Brooke attended preschool); one student was named Aurora (our mom's name); and yet another student had played in the same softball league in which Cyn Cyn plays.

When I came home to hear that orientation was a terrific experience and Cyn Cyn was now more excited than nervous, we discovered that her school issued locker combination consisted of digits that were also meaningful to our family.

Cindy was a dedicated and successful student, from elementary school through college. I'm proud to say that her nieces are following in her footsteps; and they're also blessed to have their heavenly aunt looking out for them along the way.