Haircut

Before...

 After!

 Doesn't she look like a big girl?!

The highlights...

Madelyn is learning how to read, and for the most part, enjoys being at school.  The "going to" school is something she may never love, but being there is great.

Catharine's skin is a daily battle.  Her skin is not only sensitive to heat or cold, but also to grass and other allergens.  She looked her best during a round of recent antibiotics, but after the medicine, she is back to a daily battle of keeping it under control.

Elizabeth is running, walking backwards, talking (new words daily) and loving her Mema, Nana, and Pop.  She is always making us laugh with her spunky personality.

Justin is filling in as Interim Pastor at a church not far from his parents' house.  We are staying with them for a time, and are continuing to look for a full time Pastorate.

At this time, we are not making plans on moving to Wake Forest as we had originally planned.  Justin will continue to work on finishing school long distance which will take about 2 years.  I am hoping to start a nursing program next fall, somewhere close to wherever we will be living.

First day

The first day went something like this...

• She giggled in excitement all the way to school
• She held my hand all the way to her classroom, and tried to run to her class but I wouldn't let go until we were at the door
• She immediately found her seat and was introduced to two little girls sitting next to her
• Met a friend named "Maddy" who told her a secret and ate lunch with her, Madelyn told me she shared her M&M's with Maddy :)
• Her teacher told me that she asked if she could take a nap because she was so tired, and also asked for a snack because she was hungry
• When she saw me, she immediately frowned and complained that she wanted to ride the bus
• She held my hand on the way to the car and then told me, Mema, and Catharine on the way home all about her day
• She said she worked really hard all day and was very thirsty because the work caused her to sweat a lot, it was hard, hard work (lol)
• She is excited about returning tomorrow

So, I would say, a successful day!

Kindergarten!!

Yesterday, we picked out 5 outfits for her to wear this week (so no arguing). We packed her backpack with her required folder, clipboard, and crayon pouch. We made her lunch together, she helped spread the peanut butter. She chose, peanut butter and cherry jelly, cheese stick, apples, Cheeto's, Nutter Butter's (with a small handful of M&M's) and white grape peach juice in her cup. :)

I spent a long time making some decorations last night so Madelyn would wake up and see them before she goes to her first day of school. It was a great distraction for me, but then at 5 am, I woke up wide eyed and couldn't stop thinking about my baby girl going to kindergarten! I laid there thinking about what her first day would be like, things I wanted to tell her before she got out of the car, things I hoped she would remember. I realized that she would be away from us for 35 hours a week, and then gulped. I thought about how much she would be learning, the friends she would make. How different our lives will be. I was excited for her and also sad because she is getting so big. Then, at 5:30, she crawled into bed with me :) and whispered, "Mommy, is it time for school yet?"

Sigh.

My sweet girl. She is so extroverted, like me. She will do great. She will love it. She is strong and smart and brave. She loves people and learning. And I will be fine too.

We got up and she saw her decorations. She was very pleased with the swirly letters that spelled out "kindergarten" and the hearts I added to each letter to make them "special." She noticed every detail, as I knew she would. And she moved a chair in front of them so she could sit and look. Man, I love that girl.

For breakfast I cut waffles into "Ks" and she had them with peanut butter and honey, a side of peaches, and of course, chocolate milk :)

I took her to school, and we held hands the whole way in. I had to keep her from running to her classroom when she saw the apple tree in front of her door. When we got to her room, she ran in and found her seat. That was it. No good-byes or hugs! So, I chatted with her teacher (whom I already adore) and then called her name to say good-bye, blew a kiss, and off I went!

Pictures to come tonight...

:)