When Maddy saw these shoes a few months ago, she knew she had to have them, that her personal style sensibility rested solely on owning those shoes.
"Please can I get them? They're so....sophisticated Dorothy."

Today was the first day (of several) of the statewide testing for 6th graders, called the MCAS here in Massachusetts. It includes multiple choice and essay questions in many different subjects. Maddy, my dear daughter, is a worrier. Statewide tests are fertile fodder (hmmm...can fodder be fertile? it's nice and alliterative) for her worrisome ways. She made all sorts of plans: extra sleep, the right breakfast, you get the picture. Of course I asked about it the minute she came home...

How was the test today?
Great! I wore my sophisticated Dorothy shoes and they pulled me through.
Really?
Yep, every time I looked at them, I just thought there's no place like home, there's no place like home.

I completely understand.
What are your red shoes equivalent?