Foodless Food For Thought

Yep ... today's Food For Thought is lacking a bit in the food department.  Instead, today my thoughts are a tad bit busy with trying to capture and celebrate the snapshots of my big kids' last day of school.  I'm not entirely sure how the year flew by as quickly as it did, but zoooom!  We're done!

Now, 181 days later, twice that many packed lunches (that exhausts me right there!), about 100 trips up and down the hill to school, 5 Art Heritage projects, approximately 30 Wacky Wonderful Wednesdays and 4 trees worth of homework ... and we can say that we have successfully accomplished all that 2nd & 3rd graders should.  And probably a little bit more!

Over the past several weeks, it has been a joy to hear back from Aaron & Norah's teachers about what a pleasure it was to have them in their classes.  Beautiful encouragement for us parents that all our work at home to train up loving, fun and respectful kids is seeing fruit.  That and praying for God to grown them up in Him!  I guess I could say that, like the young boy, Jesus, they have grown, "in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." (Luke 2:52)  Yeah, God!

It has been fun to watch the kids grow over the last many months and not only academically, socially and in maturity ... but in height, too.  Here are my babies ... my how they've changed!

Aaron's First Day of 3rd Grade

Aaron's Last Day of 3rd Grade

I would say that my just-a-little-bit self-conscious boy has loosened up a bit ... a smidgen more of Joe Coolness about him now.  Gratefully, he's still my little guy, giving smooches in the kitchen after breakfast ... he just doesn't have to get on his tip-toes to deliver his kisses now.  It has also been terribly sweet to see Aaron being a faithful friend to his buddies ... in and out and up and down this whole year.  He is a true and loyal friend.

Norah's First Day of 2nd Grade

Norah's Last Day of 2nd Grade

Again, I see a bit more self-confidence in my little girl.  Also, it has given me great joy to see Norah relax and be a bit more silly.  She can take life very seriously ... she is almost paralyzed at times.  As she has maneuvered through 2nd grade, we have seen her laugh at herself more and accept some non-perfection in her life.  Sometimes. :)  Norah also has grown in her friendships and the "Three Peas in a Pod" have been a wonderful source of laughter, learning and love ... it's good to have and BE a friend.

Now for the whole gang.  Remember this snapshot?

First Day of School Last Fall

Even at home, my babies have been growing like, um, not weeds so much ... uh ... growing like that big Bertha pumpkin behind them!  

Ashley and I went through the alphabet this year - a letter a week ... or so.  We finished with the letter "Z" this past week, just in time.  Whew!  She is very excited to start reading now that she knows all her sounds and her writing has improved by leaps and bounds.  I'm not sure how she will make it through the summer knowing that Kindergarten is just around the bend, but I'll try to keep her busy in the meantime.  In addition to these very important skills, she can also blow bubbles with her gum and snap ... so she's definitely a big kid now.

Lydia has transformed this year from a toddler to a kid.  No more diapers, no more bibs and no more help, thankyouverymuch.  Anything the big kids do, she figures she can, too, be it scooting on the skateboard, drinking out of big cups or chewing, uh ... eating gum.  She "can doooo."  She and Ashley are such good friends ... and they are fine-tuning each other on a moment by moment basis.  With minimal refereeing from yours truly. :)

Here's my little monkeys this morning ... I love their scootchiness with each other and their silly, sweet smiles.  And, yes.  The babies are in swimsuits again, this time in honor of Aaron and Norah's Water Field Day at school.  "We've got spirit! Yeah, yeah! We've got spirit!  Yeah, yeah!"  We also might be experiencing a bit of swimsuit chaff ... but we don't care!  :)

I want to kiss each every little nose!

And of, course, I now give you the picture they really wanted me to take ... goofballs!

In just a few snapshots, I am blown away by how different my kids are in just a mere nine months.  

All the more incentive to not blink for the next 18 years! :)

(Can someone pass the eye-drops?)