First Day of School 2016

Last Monday, August 22, 2016, school began for K, C, and J.  A started a week and a half before.  7th grade seems to be going well for her. 

 Here is J.  He began 4th grade.  As you can tell, he was not at all excited.  School isn't really his thing.  He does well, but he doesn't enjoy it.  That afternoon, however, when he got off the bus, he quickly said, "School was AWESOME!" and we haven't had major complaining since.  Phew!  Thank goodness for amazing teachers.

 He still wanted his dad and I to show up and take him to school.  We walked him in and left him with his class in the gym.  He is really growing and it is fun to see him really coming into his own.

C is a sophomore.  He is in marching band, as well as jazz band.  He really enjoys school and I am so very proud of him.  He is working hard at becoming better and better and he truly is.  I am impressed with him every day.  I love that I get a front seat in watching him mature.  Unrelated to school, he was sustained Sunday as Teachers Quorum President.  :)  He will do well and he will listen to the Spirit and do what he needs to do.  

And, finally, there is K.  She is a SENIOR.  Oh, how my Mommy-Heart aches.  I am so proud of her, however.  She is smart.  She is confident.  She is friendly.  She is dedicated.  She is spiritual.  She is just amazing!  A friend of hers posted a picture with her kindergarten picture and I loved it, so I copied the idea.  I cried.  I cannot believe my little girl has grown into such a mature young woman.  Again, I have been privileged to have a front row seat.  Benefits of being mom, I guess.  And, over the last week, I have seen the maturity continue.  She is getting ready to be on her own.  This is amazing to watch and, again, I am so proud of her!

And..I have to add the classic "First Day of School Cookies."  I have been making this recipe for years.  And, I only make them on the first day of school.  I invite friends over and we spend the morning cooking together instead of missing our children.  I love it.

 

And, the tradition continues...we head to Orange Leaf for a first day of school treat.  Oh, wow, I love these kiddos.

There has been a lot going on in the week that has passed since the first day of school.  Hopefully I will be able to catch up on that soon.  I just know that while we have many things demanding our money (like repairing a leak that created a hole in our kitchen ceiling), we are very blessed.  I love my husband.  I love my children.  I love my ward family.  I love the life I have been given.  I will work each day to cherish it for I am so very blessed.

What has happened to me?

I have been pondering this since Sunday.  I don't feel older, but, all of a sudden, my body is shaped differently.  And, I don't like it.  I guess I just don't want to admit that middle age is indeed here.  It is true that I am a couple of pounds heavier than I was a month or two ago (but only a couple!), all my weight is sitting differently.  And, like I said, I do not like it.  I am growing a belly and a muffin top.  WOW!  Truly, I am coming to realize that my body will never be the same as it was.  I guess I have always known that this would happen.  I just thought that somehow I would FEEL older too.  Nope.  I think I am still 25 or something.  No, I know I am not 25, but I don't really feel inside older than that.  Yet, my next birthday will bring me to 40!  What happened?

And, today I had an experience that made it real.  I have a new friend that just recently moved into our ward.  Yesterday, there was a huge area that lost power FOR HOURS (I did not know about this actually because I am not on Facebook any longer....but after yesterday I am reconsidering).  Late last night, we discovered that one of the many families that lost power was this young couple and their 8 month old baby girl.  We invited them to come sleep at our house where we had air conditioning.  They did.  It worked out perfectly because C is gone and his room is the "guest room" and Mom K left recently and so I'd just washed the guest sheets and towels.  It took us minutes to prepare the guest room.  I loved having them here, knowing that they were out of the heat finally.  Yet, as much as I loved loved loved them being here, I did notice a difference.  I have a 17 year old.  I am closer to being old enough to be her mom than to be her peer.  So, I have indeed aged.

The cool thing about this aging thing is seeing the multitudes of blessings I have received throughout my life.  I have an amazing life.  I love it!  I feel my aging body.  Whether MS fatigue or life fatigue or both, I am not as energetic as I once was, but my life is absolutely amazing!!  I am blessed.