my child returns...

mary e was gone for a few days on a school trip...

yet it felt like forever.

so tonight we caught up. missed my girl.

the daughter returns to school...

happy birthday, my sweet girl...

only yesterday were you so tiny...

and now i blink and you're a young lady,

with thoughts and dreams and wishes

and stories and laughs and hugs and kisses...

happy birthday, sweet girl,

i love you more.

too too sweet...

this has to be the cutest girl with the cutest baby at church.

she is going to be a great mama...can't you just tell?

american girl party at b&n...

i took mary e and her friend to the american girl doll party today at b&n...mary e created her own costume to look like her doll, jess, and i thought she looked very much like she was from south america...

see you later, friends...

our friends had to go home today.

we had such a great weekend of fellowship.

we love them so much.

i'm glad God gave them to us!

hello, july...

hello, july.
glad you're here, with all your sunny warmth. you make our days brighter and longer.
we like when you bless us with your presence, so please, have a seat and stay awhile...
...a long awhile.

Please, won't you?

mary e, self-portrait...

camp, take four...

Today did not start well...Mary E woke up with FEVER!!!

We took her to Doctor's Care in Greenville...an hour drive into town...

This was the photo in our exam room! We knew that we were in the right place! (these are the old Charleston bridges...)

A stop by Strossner's Bakery for THE BEST CUPCAKES EVER (and the lovelist I've ever seen, hands-down) made the day not so bad...

see how much they've grown...

happiness is friday...again!

Here I am, a week later. Hard to believe another week has gone by. It's been a stressful blur.

I stayed home from school yesterday and today. My stressed-out gut had had enough field trips and assemblies and stuff for one week. I've actually felt better this afternoon, so I've been sewing since I had the time and felt like sitting. (I'll show you soon what I made!)

Mary E had her last dance class yesterday, and as I watched her short dance performance, I realized that she really is a talented and beautiful young LADY. I mean, I KNEW that, but watching her made me realize she is really growing up...I just know I'm going to BAWL LIKE A BABY when she performs in April in "The Nightingale".

I also have to brag a bit on Jake-e, as we affectionately call him. He is SO SO very conscientious and organized for an 11 year old boy. Two examples-

I found a December calendar on the kitchen counter, with info for his Latin exam next week methodically laid out, day-by-day, so that he'd know what to study. I assumed his Latin teacher had made the students do that. "No, mom- I did it. I'm actually a day or so behind, but I wrote it out so I had less to do on the weekends, so I can catch up". WOW. Ok.

He was also supposed to go hunting last Saturday with his Uncle L. On Friday night, he informs me that he can not go because he has a project due on Monday and he has to finish it. If he goes hunting, he won't get it finished on time. WOW WOW. Ok!

He obviously does very well in school because of this, and better yet and unlike his mom, he's not a stressed-out-study-machine-everything-has-to-be-just-PERFECT. He's just very effficient. His future wife is going to LOVE it.

We have a basketball-filled weekend. And the boys have exams to study for. And I have to *try* (the operative word) to do some more Christmas shopping. I am also having lunch tomorrow with one of my bestest buds! And coach sal and I have a Christmas party to attend Saturday night.

Whew...enjoy your weekend! Happy Friday!