Treat Her Well

Dear world,

I bequeath to you today one little girl in a crisp dress , two twinkling eyes and a happy laugh that ripples all day long and a flash of shiny hair that bounces in the sun when she runs. I trust you’ll treat her well. She’s slipping out of the back yard of my heart this morning and skipping off down the street to her first day of school and never again will she be completely mine. Frail and proud she’ll wave her young and independent hand this morning and say “Good Bye” and walk with little lady steps to the school house. Now she’ll learn to stand in lines and wait by the alphabet for her name to be called. She’ll learn to tune her ears for the sounds of school bells and deadlines and she’ll learn to giggle and gossip and look to the ceiling in a disinterested way when the little boy across the isle sticks out his tongue at her. And now she’ll learn to be jealous and now she’ll learn how it feels to be hurt inside now she’ll learn how not to cry. No longer will she have time to sit on the front porch steps on a summer day and watch an ant scurry across the crack in the side walk. Nor will she have time to pop out of the bed with the dawn and kiss the lilac blooms in the morning dew. No, now she’ll worry about those important things. Things like grades, and which dress to wear and whose best friend is whose. The books and learning will replace the blocks and dolls. Now she’ll find new heroes. For 5 full years now, I’ve been her sage and Santa clause and pal and playmate and mother and friend. Now she’ll learn to share her worship with her teachers which is only right but no longer will I be the smartest greatest lady in the whole world. Today when that school bell rings for the first time she’ll learn what it means to be a member of a group with all of its privileges and disadvantages too. She’ll learn in time that proper young ladies do not laugh out loud or kiss dogs or keep frogs in pickle jars in bedrooms or even watch ants scurry across cracks in sidewalks in the summer. Today she’ll learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not her friends and I’ll stand at the front porch and watch her start out on that long lonely journey to becoming a woman. So world I bequeath to you today one little girl in a crisp dress with two twinkling eyes and a flash of hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs. I trust you’ll treat her well.

This is not original with me I heard this on the radio about two years ago, my husband printed it off and we kept it for just this day! It sort of helped us in the whole mourning process...LOL.

Last night at church we had a special Back to School service, this was a very special for all the students and teacher as well as parents! There are a few pictures of the service.

This morning we left for the school around 8:00 they don't start until 8:20 and though we were ready a little earlier we didn't want to seem over anxious. Alayna was quite excited and acted as though she'd been in school all her life. She had to turn her little card to let the teacher know she was present, then find a table with a box of toys on it and play! She had already made a couple of friends before we left. For all of you who were so concerned about the parents we did okay. I held it all together until I left the room then a few tears did escape down my cheeks. I must admit we were one of the first in the line to pick her up this afternoon! She told us of all her adventures and all the fun of school, and yes she can't wait until tomorrow!

I hope all of you had a great first day as well and a great year to come! Here are the pictures, I told my husband that I didn't feel like I got enough. It's such a momentous in there life and I just didn't think I took enough pictures, He assured me I did!

Alayna Meets Her Teacher - Mrs. Herron

It's official, Alayna is going to school. Andrew and I went to the school on Wednesday evening to meet Alayna's Kindergarten teacher and find out all the parent stuff. Then on Thursday night it was Alayna's turn to go.
When we walked in the classroom for the first time Alayna was a little ahead of me and was just drinking it in. I excitedly said "Alayna don't you love it?!!!" No sooner had the words hit the air that I felt the tears. I didn't even know they were there, they just started to flow. Thankfully there were no other people in the room at the time except Mrs. Herron who quickly pointed me to the Kleenex and reassured me that I would still be doing this the day she went off to college. It is such big thing just knowing that she is old enough to go to school. I am not sad for her to go I feel she's plenty old enough and prepared for it, I think it's just accepting her age in such a big way that's getting me.
I took a few pictures in the room that night. Mrs. Herron had a checklist of things we had to do in the room such as; Find the bathroom, Place school supplies in her cubbie..... so on.
Lawst week Mrs. Herron sent a letter to Alayna with a picture of an apple tree, the instructions were to put an apple on the tree each day until they are all filled and then we'll know it's time for Alayna to go to school. Of course she loved to get the mail, and she has faithfully put the apples on the tree. Guess what there's only one left!!!! That means Monday is the big day!
I hope all of those who are starting school in the next few days have a great year and enjoy the time in life where they are. Growing up I heard the adults always say things like, Oh if I could just go back to the days of school how wonderful that would be, or I'd give anything to be back in school. I thought then they were crazy and I still do today, but I do understand a little more what they meant. I think as children in school we don't realize how wonderful life is for the most part, to be a complete dependant on others. Back then your biggest concern was if you forgot your homework or not, not if you had enough money to pay the bills this month. As you grow and gain privileges in life you also take on many more responsibilities. I think this is the part they were talking about they longed for the days of less responsibilities and the consequence of losing some privileges was well worth it.
As Andrew and I walked through the halls on Wednesday night We breathed in that certain smell and heard our feet echoing in the halls as only school halls can echo, I looked at him and said I am soooo glad I'm not starting school again. I hope you find yourself content in the place you are whatever that may be. You may be dwelling in this place sort of temporarily or living more permanently but whatever the case enjoy the time you have in the place you are.
HMMM how did I end up here? I think this is the point you sometimes push the back space and cut it back to what you were planning to write in the beginning, but this time I'm leaving it all. Here's some pictures of all the things I've talked about.
Oh and if you think of it on Monday say a little prayer for all of us mother's of brand new Kindergartners! Please! =)

Vacation '08

Summer Vacation, You look forward to it almost all year and then it just seems to fly by. Thankfully you can relive the memories for many years to come!
We didn't have a whole lot planned which allowed us to relax and do just as we pleased! We went to see The Wiggles Live, to Six Flags a few times, to see the Ringling Bros. Circus, and to Medieval Times. Mom and Dad Elms came through for a day and we went to Incredible Pizza and spent the day together however my camera was dead and I didn't get any pictures so hopefully she'll post some of them that she took! There were many other things sprinkled in but those were the major events of the week. We went to America's Incredible Pizza, and Chuck E. Cheese. We played Sorry and Alayna got to take a few midnight dips in the pool after all the guest were asleep! I hope you all enjoy the pictures!
I also hope that if you weren't able to take a trip somewhere this summer that you will set aside a day or so and have a vacation at home. Go to the store and buy all that vacation junk food, and turn off the phones and computers and just do family things that you don't normally make the time for! Enjoy your loved one while you have the chance. You just never know when they might up and move away! LOL

This is a very long slide show it's not for the faint of heart! Just watch as much as you can and maybe come back later and finish! I hope you enjoy this Aunt Kathy!

Having Fun in "Big D"

Well, I am still alive and well. I have been doing other things during the time I would usually blog! I have some pictures of the happenings over the last little while, but I have to do that on my computer and it doesn't have wireless connection. SOOO I am just saying Hi and I will post something a little more interesting soon!

I also want to say Happy Anniversary to my sweet husband! It has been a wonderful 9 years and I look forward to many more! At different times in our life when we have had to go through things I have always been so glad to know that no matter what I had this wonderful man to go through it with! I love you babe and I had a wonderful time playing video games with you on our anniversary!!! LOL Love ya!