Counting my blessings!

261. A built in workout time. 2 days this week Audrey and I decided not to just sit in the car during our wait in the carline. Instead, we pulled out the stroller and went for a 40-45 minute walk. Here's a picture of Audrey entertaining herself in the car on one of the days we didn't exercise.

262. Dinner tonight with a family from church who will be co-leading a Life Group with us. They have 2 young girls too. Those 4 sure know how to make a mess with toys!

263. Little complaining from our girls during "clean up time" following the aforementioned dinner with friends.
264. Plenty of extra food from our dinner tonight to make tomorrow a fabulous day for leftovers!
265. The sweetness of sleeping children (and a sleeping dad!)

266.Good reports reguarding Julia's behavior at school. Not only has she gotten all 5's on her report sheet each day, but according to her, Julia is 1 of 3 kids in the class that often gets to run errands for the teacher. Walking a sick friend's backpack to the principal's office, walking the lunchcount to the cafeteria, picking up cupcakes from the front office, and more!

267. Precious time playing with just Audrey today. My favorite time was spent doing a quick reenactment of Sleeping Beauty pricking her finger and then being kissed awake. We did this over and over.

268. A successful french braid "just like Julia's" - I was afraid Audrey's hair would be too thin, but it braided.

269.Children who are so proud of their schoolwork that they want to throw nothing away! I know a few people who keep EVERYTHING their child brings home from school, but I just can't bring myself to do that! Can you imagine how much "stuff/junk" that would quickly grow to be? Instead, I'll keep something occasionally, but mostly I'll take a few items and photograph them.

270. A birthday party to attend at Kangarooz tomorrow! We haven't been there since Audrey's birthday!

251-260

Showing off school clothes: Julia can wear this "field trip" shirt on Wednesdays.

A picture of Audrey is required if I take a picture of Julia.

If you'll remember, awhile back I started a 1,000 Blessings list for myself and vowed to list no less than 10 blessings a week. I've really been slacking lately on the blessings and on blogging in general. Perhaps with school back in session I'll get back into a blessings/blogging routine.

251. Julia enjoying her first few days of school. She hasn't cried at all.

252. My school day tears not occuring until after dropping Julia off. I didn't cry the first day, but I cried the next 2 days at drop off and a couple of days at pick up too.

253. Audrey having NO PROBLEMS going into her preschool class. We were a little concerned because at preschool orientation all she would do was sit in the rocking chair in her class, rock back and forth, repeating "I don't like my new friends. I don't like my new friends." She's been just fine with her new teacher and new friends.

254. Audrey enjoying waiting in the carline at school. Julia's school gets out at 2:45. I'd heard (and have now experienced) that the carline can be LONG, so this week we have gotten there extra early (2:05-2:10) in order to be towards the front of the line. Despite the blazing heat, I turn the car off, roll down the windows, and allow Audrey to climb up front with me. She gets the biggest kick out of sitting in the front seat! We make sure to bring along ice water, crayons/color sheets, and a snack.

255. "Up Daddy home day" is today, and Audrey gets Mommy and Daddy all to herself! Daddy has played barbies and now Audrey is watching Snow White. We haven't watched Snow White in a long time because Julia insists she's terrified of the mean Queen. Audrey's enjoying not having to share parental attention for a little while!

256. A not too strict "resttime" for Julia. Julia has learned alot this week. Each day she's telling me the backstory of one of her classmates. I have since learned that this information is mostly exchanged during the 40 minutes long rest time. If pure quiet was required, we'd be getting alot of notes home!

257. The excitement of "homework." Starting Tuesday this week, we have an assignment every day but Friday. The first night of homework (pictured below) was to write her first name 3 times and to draw a picture of herself.

258. A yummy french toast breakfast with Matt and Audrey (I did make eggs for Julia before she left). Audrey wouldn't eat any french toast, but that just means I have leftovers for Julia to have breakfast for lunch at school tomorrow. Any other ideas for lunches? I'd like to steer clear of the peanut butter/turkey sandwich rut!

259. Insider reports on Julia. A teenager we know well from church, Breanna, comes to the Elementary school in the afternoons. Breanna has been helping inside with the kids waiting for the carline. She said that most of the Kindergartners don't know their names, especially not their last name. (I find this weird... 5 year old should know their name!) The teachers and aides have to go up and down the hallway reading name tags as the carline names get called in from the walkie talkie because just calling out the names gets them nowhere. Breanna reported to us Tuesday night that when the call came in for "Bowman. Julia Bowman" Julia raised her hand and said "I'm Bowman." Matt finds this funny that she's already referring to herself as just "Bowman." I find this funny because while Julia knows her name, the school does not. It apparently was put into the computer wrong because her name is on everything as "Bowan"

260. Fun packages received in the mail. We now have 2 Rapunzel wigs in our home. Thanks, Mammy.

1st Day!

Despite my begging, pleas, and meltdowns, God decided not to stop time.

Today came.

August 15.

Kindergarten.

My baby.

Check out my 3 year old model - wow - pose Audrey!

Now we're only posing for silly face pictures...

And now we're officially finished with the photo shoot.

All 4 of us marched in the elementary school together, and halfway down the hallway I realized I had left the camera in the car. :( I didn't get any pictures of her in her classroom! Oh well. I do have this picture that a church friend who is in the same class facebooked.


There were no tears from either me or Julia as we said "good-bye." I got misty around 10:30 thinking about her at lunch. And get this... I cried while picking her up. Who cries at pick up instead of drop off? Apparently, I do.

Happy 1st day of Kindergarten, love! I'm glad it was a good one.

Friends moving :(

Some of our favorite Robertsdale people moved to GA last month. This family was in our life group and had 3 girls that Julia and Audrey just loved being around. These older girls are marvelous examples for my 2!

Laura is the oldest of the 3 girls in this family. My girls had an extra attachment to her because she often helped out in Children's Church, VBS, etc.

Here I am reading a letter Laura wrote to Julia and Audrey. So sweet!

I don't know what happened to 'sugar and spice and everything nice' but my girls really like to "beat people up"... i.e. wrestle. (See - I need model families like this one to help teach ME how to raise sweet daughters!) "Beating Laura up" was a favored activity between them, so Laura snapped pictures of my girls making their "mean faces".

A family picture with Laura.

Silly faces with Laura and Emily!


Tough face??

By the way, when at home this family referred to Matt as "MattyBo" - hilarious!

Kindergarten

I hate Kindergarten.

It's NOT an exciting step of independence.
It's NOT a room full of precious 5 year olds.
It's NOT a time to celebrate!

Instead, it's a terrifying thrust into reality.
It's a room full of snotty nosed potential bullies to the 1 precious 5 year old in the class!

It's a time for tears and mommy breakdowns!

In case you can't read between the lines, I'm not looking forward to dropping my child off at Kindergarten Monday. I'm terrified!

Yet despite this overwhelming sense of uncertainty, it's my job to put on a brave face, force encouraging words from my mouth, and willingly send my firstborn off to face the world on her own. I can't, however, keep millions of questions from running through my head.

What if she has a hard time making new friends?
What if she has a mean teacher?
What if she gets lost in the 1,000+ student school?
What if she has a hard time figuring out how to navigate the cafeteria?
What if some kid (kids??!?!?) start picking on her?

What if she has problems at school that she doesn't tell me about?

What if all my fears about Kindergarten are unintentionally projected onto my child?
What if I just don't want my baby growing up?
What if I want to pause time and keep my child little forever?

Oh dear. I'm a mess.

Kindergarten.

She may be ready.

I'm not.