I went to mostly public schools growing up until I got into SMU on academic scholarship after attending a community college for two years.  My kindergarten and first grade years were spent in a small, “Christian” private school.  I attended public elementary from second grade through sixth.  Middle school was seventh and eighth, and high school was Freshman (9th), Sophomore (10th), Junior (11th), and Senior (12th.)  The year that I loved so much was fourth grade.  I’ll never forget we got to go UPSTAIRS AND switch teachers!  We had a homeroom teacher and then actually got to move from class to class.  We were old enough to be in the talent show and that was the year I made a program called “Talented and Gifted” which just really meant we were able to learn cooler stuff and more was expected of us.  One of the things I remember about the fourth grade was that after math and before lunch we got to play “the Line Up game.”  So, our teacher would call out a color and those kids got to get in line first.  To be last to the cafeteria was awful and it meant there was not enough time to really relax or even properly digest your food.  “If you are wearing red you may line up,” Mr. Dealey would say.  Groans ensued for those not wearing red.  “Next!  You may line up if you are wearing green!” (more moaning) “and after that yellow!  Yellow may line up next!”  I think as we become adults we forget what a big deal the little things are, like being first in line.  It was 1980 and Sears had a line of clothing called “Toughskins.”  Their schtick was, if your child could put a hole in it they would replace it.  Being an avid outdoor kid, I was always getting into some kind of scrape.  As a switch from jeans, Mama bought me these plaid pants (same brand of course) and I despised them.  I find myself wondering now if I wouldn’t put my own little girl in them; with hindsight they were the end of the 1970’s adorable.  Anyway, I found a use for those pants and they served me well the entire year — for the Line Up game!!!  It did not matter WHAT color that man called; my pants had it all.  The American individualist Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”  And that is my hope for my growing little one this year; welcome to Fourth grade.