Yes, Really.

Why does it seem like it was only yesterday that she was like this?

And now, the first day of Kindergarten?  It seems nearly impossible.

How shall I describe the disposition of our little angel in the week leading up to this first day?  Neurotic?  Schizophrenic?  Moody? All over the place?  One minute, she was jumping up and down saying:  "I am so excited to go to school!" And the next minute?   Out-of-the-blue tears and "What if kids are mean to me?" and "I don't want to go."  She was obviously quite ambivalent (yes, that is a more flattering description) about this entire change.

I have to say, I knew exactly how she felt. 

Our little one is growing up.

From this.......

to this:

And from this........

to this:

A wise soul once told me that once you become a parent, the entire process is essentially a trial in learning to let go.  This kind of news doesn't come easily to someone like me, who from the time I was a little girl would cry every night in anticipation of leaving my mom the next day to go to the neighborhood child care.  Someone who has never done good-byes with ease.  Someone who gets tearful and nostalgic when thinking:

 "this is her last breakfast before she starts this new chapter of her life" :

I cannot lie.  This entire thing of letting go may get the best of me before it is all said and done (which, by the way, I understand, will be..........never).  If this first trial of her leaving to go to school every day is any indication, well, you'd better say some prayers for Brian.  He's in for a long journey.....

On a positive note, we are a week in, and every day when I picked her up and asked her how school was, she responded:  "Great Mama! I loved it!"   Also, she only cried the first day that I dropped her off . (The same cannot be said about her mama.)  I heard her talking about looking forward to her "specials" (art, music, gym, computer).  And she seems to be making friends.  But---- most importantly she is learning about how to be an independent little lady. (Yes, I can be rational.)  It is all good.
 
In other news, we have been closing out the summer with some fun events........ 

Lucy and I traveled home to Indy to celebrate my Dad's birthday with him.  I do not overlook the blessing of my Dad.  He is a wonderful father and grandfather.   How grateful I am for him, and for another year to celebrate the day of his birth with him.  

I have to be honest.....These next two pictures are posed . What can I say?  My niece is the queen of staging selfies.   I was surprised at how naturally Lucy complied.   Uh oh.......

As we have done before, we went to my sister's school and visited her second grade classroom :

Lucy got to be the line leader going out to recess.........She was thrilled!

The girls in Lisa's class swarmed Lucy.  They were very excited to have a visitor to play with!

Story time!

My Dad took over the class at one point!    Maybe he missed his calling? 

Q and A time for Lucy:   "What is your favorite color, animal etc. etc....??"  So fun!

And our last summer swan song.........

For several years now we have been getting together on Wednesdays with our girls, Abby and (her mom) Tammy, for play dates.  We have affectionately come to know these outings as our Wednesday Weeklies.  There has been chatter for awhile about doing a lemonade stand.  Well, on our last Wednesday of the summer, we finally got to it! And boy was it worth the wait!  The girls had so much fun (and so did their Mamas!) :

Making their sign.

Getting the stand set up.

And...... they are off!   Let the sales begin!

Their first sale of the morning.

The girls stayed busy!

And at the end of the day, they had made $36!!!!

What a great way to end the summer!   And now, we are gearing  up for our favorite time of the year.  Happy end of summer days!