Back-2-School

Every year on the first day of school, I take out my camera and snap a few pictures of each of the kids. I love documenting these momentous days but as they have grown older, they've also grown more and more annoyed with this little tradition. Since last year's pictures were full of rolling eyes and impatient frowns I actually considered giving them a break this year. Boy was I surprised when the evening before the first day of school they all said, "You're taking pictures in the morning, right?". It's a nice feeling when someone asks you to take their picture instead of groaning when the camera comes out! Here is Lauren on her first day as President of a large Corporation. Oops, I mean the first day of 3rd grade. When I look at this picture I get a little flash of her future. Anyway, her day went great. She loved her teacher, she was excited about the three thick text books she gets to use this year and she was relieved to find that the little boys who made last year miserable were NOT in her class.

For the first time ever, Amanda loves her teacher! I can't even tell you how happy this makes me. She always seems to get the one teacher that should have retired already. She has made friends with a couple of girls who like to avoid the girl drama that Amanda seems to get sucked into, against her will,every year. Thank goodness for that. I think the 6th grade is going to be a great year for her.

These next few words come out with a sniff and damp eyes...Austin started HIGH SCHOOL this year! Can that really be right? Wasn't I just IN high school? I'm not sure what is more upsetting, that he's growing up or I'm growing old! So far Austin loves the 9th grade. I hear the most about French (I guess Spanish was full) and Geography class. I love that he comes home excited about the things he's learning and tells me all about it. It makes me want to do High School all over again, minus the teen angst.

Papa Pulls Through!

Tonight my gratitude is overflowing. When I heard that my Dad would be released from the hospital this afternoon, I was finally able to exhale the breath I'd been holding for two weeks. Two weeks ago he went in for some tests and before he knew it they were performing major emergency surgery that he was not really expected to live through. The Dr. warned that if he did live through it, he may not have use of his legs. It was agony for me to be so far away and to not know if I would ever see him again or have one more of our "solve the world's problems" conversations. All I knew was that this could not be it because I still really need him in my life. My dad spent most of the past two weeks in ICU getting some major kinks worked out, then got transferred to a regular room a few days ago. He had VERY limited use of his legs until yesterday when he pulled himself out of bed and took himself for a walk down the hallway. With a walker, of course. I sure wish I had been there to see that, and I'm sure you could have heard the faint sound of angels sing Alleluia in the background. I'm so glad that he is able to come back home to recuperate. I love you Dad and wish so much that I could come be with you! When I told Janet what had happened to you she said, "I swear Kase, your dad has like 9,000 lives!" That cracked me up and I hope she is right!