what i know for sure: school edition

 What I know for sure :

The outfit we choose the night before is never good enough in the morning.

Brushing hair in a hurry is not fun.

She looks so cute in her uniform.

Turning the tv on in the am is counterproductive to getting out the door.

Packing a lunch is going to get old, real fast.

So is cleaning all her containers every day.

Figuring out what days she needs to wear her gym shoes needs at least a degree in rocket science.

 What I know for sure :

Pick up is a freaking nightmare.

The amount of information coming at me is slightly overwhelming.

Market Day could be the death of me.

The pent up energy when she gets home is astonishing.

As is her appetite.

Her unwillingness to share about her day drives me nuts.

I want to know every. little. thing.

My house has never been cleaner.

Uninterrupted "lunch while reading" is very, very nice.

What I know for sure:

This is really happening.

She is in kindergarten.

For real.

perspective

Life is catching up with me and I am grouchy.

The excitement of starting school is over.

My house is back in order.

And things are calming down.

Which gives me time to think.

About all that is happening.

And it makes me sad.

Ellie woke up entirely too early for a Saturday morning.

She wanted to HIKE!

I did not.

I wanted to bury under the covers for at least 3 more hours.

Then maybe head to a late breakfast.

And hit up a farmers market.

A low key kinda day.

Maybe even throw myself a little pity party.

But, alas, both my family members abhor farmers markets.

I know, right??

What is wrong with them?

The puppy petting alone is worth the trip.

Pity parties aren't well recieved either.

So, I unhappily got out of bed, with no energy for the hike ahead.

Then things went from bad to worse.

My bad mood infected the whole clan.

Fits were thrown due to what shoes to wear.

Looks were given.

Terse words were said.

And it was all my fault.

We finally made it to the car and hit the road.

And my bad mood persisted.

By this point, I was desperately trying to hide it.

To turn things around.

And it was working with Ellie.

But Chris knows me inside and out.

I wasn't fooling him.

We start up the trail.

Grouchy tagging along, uninvited.

Then Perspective sneaks up and slaps me right across the face.

The nerve of her.

(Perspective has to be female, don't you think?)

But it worked.

Her slap, combined with open green air, put me right again.

 So yeah.

My life isn't at it's best right now.

It's hard.

And sad.

And messy.

And out of my control.

 But there is good, too.

Beautiful things hiding in the mess.

Covered up by all the junk that is currently on display.

Morning kisses.

And notes in lunchboxes.

And a sweet card in the mail.

Kitty love.

And check marks on to do lists.

And a new shirt.

Plans for a fun evening with good friends.

Back rubs by familiar hands.

And strengh bubbling to the surface.

I am blessed.

And I know it.

 By the time the hike was over,

I was better.

Thank goodness I went.

And thank goodness for Perspective and her bossy way of showing me that life sucks sometimes,

but there is always good.

Always happiness to be found.

You just have to look around.

PS....

At lunch, Ellie got a hold of the camera.

She wanted these on the blog.

So, curtesy of Ellie...

Her first arms length shot of the two of us.

 And herself.

 And our shoes.

 And me, busted.

Probably checking facebook.

Or playing a word on words with friends.

In every single one of my games,

and I am playing 15,

I have crappy letters.

Every. Single. One.

the big K!

We made it!

Our first official day of Kindergarten is over!

And she LOVED it.

Just like I knew she would.

Over the last few weeks, she was getting a little nervous and a little clingy.

Probably because our schedule was all out of whack.

And I was in Indiana for so long.

So I was nervous cause she was nervous.

But, like it always does...

It worked out.

Shall we go through the day in pictures?

I think, perhaps, we shall...

Here is sleeping beauty on the big day.

 And we can't go to school without a healthy breakfast.

(which some kids did, I heard a little girl say her mommy was too busy to make her breakfast and she was hungry.  Broke my heart.)

 Atticus joined the fun.  I think he was confused on why we were up so early...

 Official Photo!

I got this idea from my good friend Autumn.  She is extra cool.  Her husband is one of my oldest and closest friends.  He walked in on me in the bathroom in first grade, and we have been close ever since, but I digress...Check out her blog HERE.

 And here are a few others to round out the series.

 Anyone want to come trim my bushes?  How embarrasing...

 On our way!  She was so excited here, it was palpable.

 Walking into school. 

I was like the freaking paparazzi.

Chris was embarrased.

I didn't care.

 Lining up with her class.

Front of the line.

My little eager beaver.

 There she goes.

At this point, my throat was thick and my eyes were damp.

But I held it together.

 Then Chris and I went golfing!

Where I can see my golf game coming back.

Just a little.

There were still more bad shots than good.

But the good ones were good.

Then we went and picked her up.

Success!

She came out smiling and yelling

I LOVE KINDERGARTEN!!

Can't beat that.

Unless a chocolate milkshake is involved.

A big day has come and gone.

We are blessed.

this last day of summer

These are bittersweet days my friend.

She start Kindy tomorrow.

Wow.

She is so excited, and therefore, I am excited.

But Wow.

But we bid a fine farewell to summer today.

Spent the whole day.

Just us girls.

It was fantastic.

Good luck tomorrow,

my big girl.

xoxo

checking in

I'm home.

For awhile anyway.

It's been a crazy few weeks.

I went back home cause Noonie fell and in the hospital was diagnosed with pneumonia.

The antibiotics made him crazy.

Like, for real, crazy.

Hallucinations.

Delusions.

No sleep.

Crazy.

So we got him off the antibiotics and he went back to his normal, awesome self.

Except that we found out that the cancer was spreading and he was beyond treatment help.

So he went home with Hospice.

Which makes me so sad.

But he seems content and ready for whatever comes next.

So I am trying to be strong and brave.

He is doing great for the moment.

Getting out.

Seeing his friends.

Etc...

I was driving him nuts with my hovering so I decided to give him a break

and come home for a bit.

Cause we have important things to attend to this week.

KINDERGARTEN.

Holy shit.

I am so behind.

I am calling him incessently, however, continuing to drive him nuts.

And I will be going home again soon, to check in.

But for now, he is being taken care of.

And for that, I am grateful.

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers.

quick recap

So I was in Indiana for 10 days.

Visiting with Dad.

He was ok, very weak, but for the most part, ok.

Then Ellie and I came home on Friday.

And on my way home, I got a call that Dad had fallen.

He ended up in the hospital and is not himself.

He isn't recognizing people.

He is hateful towards the nurses.

He is confused.

This is not my Noonie.

So either he had a mini stroke when he fell.

Or the cancer has entered his brain.

Or something.

CAT scan results soon.

So, I am heading home again this afternoon.

For I don't know how long.

Ellie is staying here with Chris.

I am thinking there will be no fun on this trip home.

And she will be better off here.

If you are in my area and want a kid for a day so Chris can go to work...

Noonie could really use your prayers

of peace and comfort.

Be back when I can.