Full Days And A Full Week...

...make for a VERY sleepy girl!!

Lily's first week of school they had 3 half days and Lily was wiped out by Friday afternoon. This week Lily had 5 full days and the poor thing was beyond exhausted by Friday afternoon. Seriously.

On Friday nights we normally alternate between Family Game Night and Family Movie Night. Last Friday during dinner Lily said, "I don't want to do game night or movie night...I just want to sleep!"

Unfortunately for Lily, Friday was also Back-to-School Night. I seriously considered not going, but since I'm president of the PTA...and I was giving a presentation...I thought I'd better show up!

Thankfully, Lily really likes the babysitter that watched her and together they hunkered down and watched Charlotte's Web and all was well with the world.

Lily absolutely LOVES school and I know she will get used to the full day schedule...but until then I will have one sleepy girl on my hands!

Admittedly, these pictures have nothing to do with this post...but here are some recent pictures of sweet little Q and U at the zoo!

First, Tenth, and Sixteenth

Today was Lily's first day of First Grade. Oh! My! Word! How did that happen??

Lily is SO incredibly excited for First Grade and, honestly, so am I. I love, Love, LOVE Lily's First Grade teacher. Mrs. Hancock is a patient, kind, and loving woman and I know Lily will thrive in her classroom.

If today is any indication, Lily will have another GREAT year!







Is it me or is Lily's backpack almost bigger than she is?? And what about all that hair??? Lily chose not to wear a "hair pretty" (bow, pony tail, clip, etc.) today because she wanted, "all my friends to see how long my hair grew this summer."

That would not have been my first choice and I mentioned that I thought her hair might get in her way...but...since it's not my hair I let Lily decide. When I picked Lily up today one of the first things she said to me was that tomorrow she needs something to keep her hair out of her face.

Who knew? Don't worry, I didn't say, "I told you so." Aren't you proud of me?

Q and U were so happy to be together again. They have seen each other numerous times during the summer, but when they saw each other this morning you would've thought they hadn't seen each other in years! Such sweetness!



As hard as it is for me to believe, today is also the tenth anniversary of Mom's death. Some days I miss Mom so much you would think she just died yesterday and then there are days when I struggle to remember the sound of her voice.

Losing Dad late last year and Aunt Paula just two weeks ago has made the loss of Mom feel more recent. I have thought about, dreamt about, talked about, and cried about Mom more in the last 10 months than I have in years. I guess it makes sense that the death of two people that Mom loved so dearly has stirred in me a renewed sense of loss, but I have to admit I have been a bit taken aback by it.

What I have come to realize more everyday is that no matter how much time passes I still miss and need my mother. It truly is as simple and as complicated as that.



On a much, much happier note, today is also Charlie's 16th birthday! Happy birthday, Charlie!! We love you!